Stan Wawrinka kept his farewell season moving with a hard-earned Lyon victory on Wednesday, beating Martín Landaluce 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5) to reach the second round.
The 41-year-old Swiss survived two hours and 46 minutes against an opponent 21 years younger, earning another opportunity to compete before his planned retirement in Basel next week.
According to Wawrinka’s post-match reaction, the result marked his first ATP Tour victory since Geneva in May, giving his final stretch a welcome competitive lift.
“I had so much fun; I almost lost that one,” Wawrinka said afterward, capturing the relief behind a victory that required patience through another demanding deciding set.
Wawrinka survives pressure in Lyon
After taking the opening set, Wawrinka could not finish the job in straight sets. Landaluce won the second-set tiebreak convincingly, forcing the veteran into a prolonged physical examination.
The decisive set began with immediate danger. TennisUpToDate’s match report described Wawrinka saving three consecutive break points from love-40 in the opening game before eventually holding his serve.
Neither player surrendered serve in that final set, leaving another tiebreak to settle the contest. Wawrinka ultimately converted his fifth match point to secure passage into round two.
Those missed opportunities could have made the closing stages uncomfortable, but Wawrinka stayed sufficiently composed to finish. Lyon therefore provided a successful ending to a genuinely competitive encounter.
Serving was central to that outcome. The published match statistics showed Wawrinka winning 84 percent of his first-serve points and saving all four break points he faced overall.
He converted only one of 10 break chances himself, illustrating how narrowly the match was decided. Protecting his own delivery ultimately mattered more than repeatedly threatening Landaluce’s service games.
Top seed Cobolli presents the next test
His reward is a second-round meeting with top seed Flavio Cobolli, who received a first-round bye. TennisActu confirmed the matchup following Wawrinka’s opening victory in the French tournament.
The contrast is straightforward: Wawrinka arrives with almost three hours of competitive tennis behind him, while Cobolli begins his singles campaign without that opening-round workload in his legs.
For Wawrinka, recovery and serving consistency now become practical priorities. Another tight match would demand the same concentration he maintained when Landaluce threatened to take control in the decider.
His reaction also reflected satisfaction with the preparation behind this final run. Wawrinka credited his team’s recent training block and said he felt pleased with his level on court.
A final season with another match to play
The broader context remains an exceptional career approaching its conclusion. Yonex’s official player biography records his Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open singles titles across three memorable seasons.
He won those majors in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively, establishing a legacy that gives these final appearances significance well beyond the ranking points available at each tournament.
Yet Wednesday’s achievement stood on its own competitive terms. Wawrinka had to protect his serve, absorb a lost tiebreak and manage repeated closing opportunities against a much younger opponent.
The win does not settle how far he can progress in Lyon. It does ensure his visit continues, with Cobolli offering a clear measure of his remaining competitive level.
For now, Wawrinka leaves the first round with something tangible before the Basel farewell: a demanding victory, renewed match confidence and another date on the Lyon singles schedule.
