Stan Wawrinka dominates a too fickle Holger Rune

After a completely disjointed game, Holger Rune was taken out by Stan Wawrinka in the third round of Indian Wells on Monday (6-2, 6-7 [5], 7-5). The Swiss took advantage of the very variable attitude of the 8th in the world to make the difference and reach the round of 16.

In the first set almost nothing had worked for the young Holger Rune. The Dane hasn’t put up his usual slugging game from the baseline. In the second round, the 8th in the world alternated between the good, rarely, and the less good, often, but that was enough to take the 37-year-old Swiss into a third set. Stan Wawrinka had a match point on his serve at 5-3, but Rune dismissed it, and the more experienced of the two players missed a golden chance.

Pushed into the third set, Wawrinka held

A few games after calling the physiotherapist for discomfort in his right shoulder, the Dane stopped the many serves and volleys he had been trying since the start of the game. He started to hold the exchange and tired his opponent by multiplying the amortizations to offer himself a decisive set (7-6 [5]).

A bit provocative with the public, the young Rune with a strong character was much more diligent and built up his points, chaining mastered service games. But at 5-4, the first alert for the 8th in the world when Wawrinka missed the first break point of the set. Two games later, he converted it on a gross foul by Rune. An hour after missing his first opportunity, the Swiss concluded on the Dane’s 39th unforced error.

In the next round, Stan Wawrinka will face the winner of the match between Italian Jannik Sinner and Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.