VIDEO: Andalucia Open Tournament Director Had a Sweet Surprise for Stan Wawrinka on His Birthday

While the ‘Big Three’ comprising Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic garnered much attention over the last decade, Stan Wawrinka quietly carved a niche for himself. He has a reputation for being a big match player who rises to the occasion when it matters the most. The Swiss ace has won three Grand Slam titles during his career. However, only a Wimbledon title eludes the former World Number 3.

He won his first major title at the Australian Open in 2014. Wawrinka defeated Rafael Nadal in the summit clash of that tournament to etch his name on the trophy. In the next year, he won the French Open title, defeating Novak Djokovic in the finals. His last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2016, where he defeated Novak Djokovic again in the summit clash.

Wawrinka is making a comeback to tennis after a lengthy injury layoff. He had a sweet surprise awaiting him at his comeback tournament.

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Stan Wawrinka celebrates his 36th birthday

Wawrinka is in Marbella, Spain to participate at the Andalucia Open, which is an ATP Challenger Tour tournament. Yesterday, the Swiss ace turned 37. The tournament director, Florian Leitgeb, wished Wawrinka on his birthday and himself delivered a birthday cake for the comeback man.

Wawrinka is back in action after more than a year of being on the sidelines. He last played at the Qatar Open in Doha, where he lost in the opening round against Lloyd Harris in a three-setter thriller. Subsequently, he suffered a foot injury which forced him to miss the remainder of the 2021 season.

He had to undergo a couple of foot surgeries last year. The rehabilitation process took time which ruled him out of the start of the 2022 season. Wawrinka is gearing up for the upcoming clay-court season by playing at the Andalucia Open.

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The playing field at this Challenger level tournament boasts of some high-quality names apart from Wawrinka. Dominic Thiem, who is also making a comeback, is the top seed. Further, the draw also has Jiri Vesely, who defeated Novak Djokovic earlier this year. Can Wawrinka make a strong comeback in the coming tournaments? Let us know your views in the comments below.