Stan Wawrinka, in the first match of the ATP 500 in Basel, beat Casper Ruud with a double 6-4, number three in the world ranking thanks to a superb performance. At the press conference, Stan talked about the thrills of playing this tournaments.

He told: “It’s something super special. I felt a lot of emotions during the match, especially the fact that I was here in Basel, with all the home fans. For me playing here is always a chilling feeling, I’m very nervous every time I enter the field.

I want to offer my best version in this tournament, but sometimes it takes me some time to adapt to the conditions, but the level I have achieved has been incredible, I am very happy about it.” With this year’s tournament, the three-time slam winner made fifteen appearances at the Basel tournament, an event that has never seen him reach more than a semi-final.

On two occasions he managed to reach the penultimate act: in 2006 at the age of 21 against Fernando Gonzalez and in 2011 against Roger Federer.

Stan Wawrinka: “I’m getting old, but how many emotions in Basel”

His last appearance was three years ago, in the last season in which the tournament took place, when he had to give up the quarter-finals against Federer due to injury.

Stan Wawrinka continues to play for days like these: “Living days like this is one of the main reasons why I keep playing. I’m getting old, no doubt, I have had to fight very hard in the last two seasons with injuries and operations.

Let’s say that this return was not easy at all. I suffered a lot throughout the recovery process to get back to this level of form. Being able to give this version in a tournament like the one in Basel, in front of all these people, is something really special, so I hope to continue playing like this for many more days.”

Tonight, not before 7pm, Wawrinka will have another very difficult match against Nakashima where he will try to win the pass for the quarter-finals. Between the two of them it will be the first meeting ever.