Stan Wawrinka is a man in form heading into the Australian Open, a tournament he will play for the last time in his career.
Wawrinka has earned an Australian Open wildcard, with one final appearance to be made in Melbourne before he retires from tennis.
The ATP legend lifted the Australian Open trophy back in 2014, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final to claim his maiden Grand Slam title.
Wawrinka also won the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, as well as losing the 2017 French Open final.
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Every ATP player will want to avoid Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open
The veteran now enters his last Australian Open with momentum on his side, having really impressed for Switzerland at the United Cup.
Poland won the United Cup, but Wawrinka and his nation won the hearts of many fans as they finished runners-up.
They played as a team throughout the entire tournament, while 40-year-old Wawrinka rolled back the years with many world-class displays.
Every ATP player will now be desperate to avoid the legendary figure in the Australian Open draw, with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz summing up his rival perfectly earlier this month.
After winning their United Cup finals singles clash, he said: “He’s definitely an inspiration. I was growing up watching him play, compete and win so much.
“Obviously his game style is really powerful. The shots that he can pull off sometimes, you can really admire them even when you are on the other side of the net.”
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Stan Wawrinka has added incentive to cause Australian Open upsets
Wawrinka should be full of confidence following his United Cup run, which again is another worry for his potential opponents.
But perhaps more daunting is simply his impending retirement, with Wawrinka certain to have an added motivation to enjoy one last memorable run in Melbourne.
With that, the Swiss favorite should have every fan on his side, which means every opponent of his will likely be playing the role of the villain.
His current situation and indeed his Australian Open history make him a great dark horse, but another title does seem a step too far for the three-time Grand Slam champion.
However, enjoying his time on the court is perhaps the priority ahead of further silverware at this stage of his career, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be doing his utmost to cause an upset or two.
Drawing the short straw in that regard is Laslo Djere, with the 30-year-old Serbian representing Wawrinka’s first round opponent.
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