via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 03: Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland looks on in his singles match against Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan during day three of the ATP 250 Murray River Open at Melbourne Park on February 03, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
via Getty
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 03: Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland looks on in his singles match against Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan during day three of the ATP 250 Murray River Open at Melbourne Park on February 03, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
2021 has seen a lot of talented youngsters making their mark on the ATP tour at several tournaments. However, there are a few players who are being missed by scores of tennis fans across the globe. One such top player is Stan Wawrinka.
The former World No.3 was last seen on tour during the ATP Qatar Open and has been missing from action since. The Swiss athlete faced a foot injury and even underwent surgery for the same. But, the recovery is taking time as he couldn’t confidently talk about his comeback event yet.
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Stan Wawrinka decides to skip Indian Wells Masters, which begin next week
Since Doha, there has been no sight of Wawrinka except for a few updates on his social media profile concerning the recovery. The 2016 US open champion was expected to return for the final slam of the year, however, he had to disappoint fans by pulling out of the tournament.
The US Open is one of Wawrinka’s favorite events. Besides winning the title in 2016, the Swiss star has made six quarter-final appearances in the nine times he played in New York. It was one tournament where he displays dominance over top-tier players besides Roland Garros.
Now, the Swiss player has pulled out from the upcoming Indian Wells event as well. From this decision, it’s quite evident that fans might not see Wawrinka for the rest of the year.
Looks like the end of the season for both.
Wawrinka played his last match in march.
Raonic played one match since march. https://t.co/GCQRutNYVa
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 29, 2021
There are still quite a few good tournaments left to be played on the ATP tour after Indian Wells. But, the Swiss star might not want to put pressure on himself to participate and focus on making a fresh start next year.
via Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 10, 2021 Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka in action during his second round match against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics. REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
Watch this story: Alexander Zverev, John McEnroe, and Other Top Tennis Stars Fun Moments at Laver Cup 2021
Leg injury halts Milos Raonic’s return to the ATP tour
Another player who has been grappling with injuries is Milos Raonic. The Canadian was last seen on a tennis court at the Atlanta Open in July. He had to skip Wimbledon and the US Open due to calf and right leg injuries, respectively.
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The former Wimbledon finalist made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. Raonic also made it to the pre-quarters at Miami Masters.
via Getty
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 29: Milos Raonic of Canada shows his dejection during his Gentlemen’s Singles second round match against Sam Querrey of USA on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, these were the best results for the Canadian before injuries plagued his season.
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Both Wawrinka and Raonic are yet to make an official statement regarding their comeback tournament. However, it’s safe to assume that they would prefer playing on tour next year and assess their fitness till then.
Also read: Stan Wawrinka’s Coach Raises Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal Concerns for Novak Djokovic
