Stan Wawrinka, the three-time Grand Slam champion, produced a vintage performance to defeat Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong in the first round of the French Open on Monday. The Swiss veteran, now 41, battled through a gruelling five-set encounter that lasted over four hours, eventually prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Resilience and Experience Shine Through
Wawrinka, who has slipped to 104th in the world rankings, showed glimpses of the form that won him the title at Roland Garros in 2015. His powerful one-handed backhand and aggressive baseline play troubled De Jong, who is ranked 112th and was appearing in his first main draw at a Grand Slam.
The opening set went Wawrinka's way as he broke early and served solidly. However, De Jong, 24, fought back in the second, using his speed and consistent groundstrokes to level the match. The third set was tightly contested until Wawrinka edged ahead with a break in the 12th game, only for De Jong to force a decider by taking the fourth set.
Decisive Final Set
In the fifth, Wawrinka's experience proved crucial. He broke De Jong's serve twice, racing to a 5-0 lead before closing out the match with an ace. The victory was met with a standing ovation from the Parisian crowd, who appreciated the Swiss star's determination.
"I am very happy to be back and to win such a match," Wawrinka said afterwards. "Jesper played an incredible match, and I had to fight for every point. The crowd was amazing, and it gives me a lot of confidence for the next round."
Next Round Opponent
Wawrinka will face either 24th seed Karen Khachanov or a qualifier in the second round, as he seeks to continue his deep run in a tournament that holds special memories for him.
For De Jong, despite the defeat, the match was a valuable learning experience. He pushed a former champion to the limit and demonstrated that he belongs on the biggest stage.
The French Open continues with several other first-round matches scheduled for Tuesday, including top seed Novak Djokovic's opening encounter.
