Fit And Happy Stan Wawrinka Knocks Out Khachanov In Doha

After an injury-riddled 18 months, Stan Wawrinka says he’s finally fit and healthy. The 3-time Grand Slam champion is opening his 2019 season in Doha this week.

“I feel good,” Wawrinka said Monday. “I’m very happy to be back. I arrived on Wednesday here. I have been practicing really well. I had two great months practicing and some good preparation physically. So I’m happy, I’m fit, I’m ready for the season and I’m looking forward to starting it.”

And earlier today, he proved it dismissing his doubles partner Karen Khachanov 7-6(7), 6-4.

“Today was a great match, a great level,” Wawrinka said. “I was happy with the off-season I did. I worked long and really hard, hard enough to know that sooner or later it will pay off. I’m feeling good physically. Tennis-wise, also. Today is the first match of a year against an in-form player, who won Paris last year… so I’m happy with the way I was playing today.”

Wawrinka will now face another big-hitting youngster in Nicolas Jarry.

Wawrinka’s 2018 season ended in Shanghai due to a back injury. That after undergoing knee surgery in August of 2017 really damaged the Swiss’s ranking. He comes into Doha ranked No. 66, though he was as low as No. 263 in June.