The 2024 French Open could see the last appearance of many renowned tennis stars here. From Rafael Nadal to Andy Murray, the French crowd may have already seen the last of these bigwigs at Roland Garros. One such player is the 39-year-old Stan Wawrinka. A former champion here in 2015, Wawrinka is looking to have one last laugh before he calls time on his illustrious career. However, to do so, he will have to overcome a tough challenge in the second round.

Wawrinka faces Pavel Kotov of Russia next, who is in good form of late. As a result, it will be a battle between form and experience when the two come up against each other.

Stan Wawrinka vs Pavel Kotov: Preview

At 39, age is not on Wawrinka’s side. Moreover, his recent performances have been anything but inspirational. Going into the French Open, the Swiss star just had a solitary win in his last 5 matches. Additionally, he hasn’t gone beyond the second round in the tournaments this year. Despite form not on his side, Wawrinka had a morale-boosting win over Andy Murray in the first round of the French Open. The Swiss star will look to ride on the confidence gained from that match when he faces Kotov.

On the contrary, Kotov is in the form of his life currently. Following a disappointing hard-court season, the Russian star has played some amazing tennis on clay and that too consistently. His best result this year has been a semifinal appearance at Grand Prix Hassan II. However, Kotov had to dig deep in the opening round of the French Open as he prevailed over Cameron Norrie in five sets. The Russian star will be eyeing another upset when he faces Wawrinka next.

Wawrinka vs. Kotov: Head-to-Head

While Kotov was rising through the ranks, Wawrinka was struggling with his physical state. As a result, the two haven’t met each other in any tournament before and their second-round clash at the French Open will be the maiden meeting between them. Thus, expect the unexpected when the duo goes up against each other.

Prediction: Kotov to come out on top in a thriller

Although it looks like Wawrinka has a slight edge going into the match, Kotov has played some great tennis this year and can defeat any player on a good day. With no bigger stage than a Grand Slam, Kotov will try to give his 100% and defeat Wawrinka. The Russian star will potentially win the match in a 5-set thriller and end Wawrinka’s run at Roland Garros. Their match will take place on Court Suzanne Lenglen later today.