Stan the Man delivers again! Wawrinka edges Nakashima in Basel
Roberto Bautista Agut, a routine winner over Andy Murray, awaits the home favorite Friday.
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Stan Wawrinka delighted home fans again at the Swiss Indoors, digging deep to beat Brandon Nakashima, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, in the second round on Thursday after failing to serve out the match in the second set.
Two days after a straight-set win over No. 3-ranked Casper Ruud, the 37-year-old Wawrinka wasted a chance for another efficient victory when he let slip a 5-3 lead and Nakashima took four straight games to level the match.
Wawrinka hung with the 21-year-old American in the decider then converted the only break point of the set to take a 5-4 lead.
The three-time Grand Slam winner, now ranked No. 194 after injury-hit seasons, clinched the victory with a backhand winner.
Wawrinka will face Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals on Friday after the sixth-seeded Spaniard eased to a 6-3, 6-2 win over another three-time Grand Slam champion, Andy Murray.
Third-seeded Felix Augur-Aliassime cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Miomir Kecmanovic as he searches for his third straight title. The No. 9-ranked Canadian won tournaments in Florence, Italy, and Antwerp, Belgium over the last two weeks.
Augur-Aliassime's quarterfinal opponent is Alexander Bublik, who won, 6-3, 6-3, against Alberto Ramos-Vinolas.