Third seed and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka reached the French Open last-32 on Thursday with a 6-4, 7-6(5), 7-5 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.
The Swiss took a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but was broken back by Dolgopolov in the seventh game to level the set at four-all. In the ninth game, Wawrinka saved three break points to take a lead once again in the set. In the 10th game, serving to stay in the set, the Ukrainian found himself staring at three set points. He saved the first with a winner off his forehand, but lost the set as the world No. 3 converted his second set point with a flourishing winner off his backhand.
The second set featured no breaks of serve and in the following tie-break, the Swiss raced ahead, securing three set points to go up two-sets-to-love. An ace from Dolgopolov and an uncharacteristic error from Wawrinka’s backhand eliminated the first two set points, but there was no respite for the 89th ranked player, as Wawrinka took the set after serving up an ace.
The three-time Major champion took the lead in the third set, getting a service break in the opening game. However, a break back for Dolgopolov in the sixth game once again put the Swiss on the backfoot. The set proceeded on serve, up until the 11th game when Dolgopolov was broken for the second time. Serving for the match in the 12th game, Wawrinka made no mistakes, getting the win on his first match point.
Wawrinka finished the match with 41 winners and 28 unforced errors to Dolgopolov’s 35 winners and 17 unforced errors. The Swiss won 90% points off his first serves to his opponent’s relatively poor conversion of 49%, which made the biggest difference in determining the match’s outcome at the end.
Wawrinka will face either Fabio Fognini or Andreas Seppi, both from Italy, for a place in the fourth round.