Stan Wawrinka eliminated top seed Andrey Rublev to advance to the semi-finals in Stockholm.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka demonstrated remarkable resilience on Friday, as the 39-year-old defeated top seed Andrey Rublev to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Stockholm tournament.

Currently ranked 217th in the world, Wawrinka triumphed over the seventh-ranked Russian player Rublev with a score of 7-6, 7-6, marking his first victory against a top-10 opponent this year.

The Swiss athlete is set to face US fourth seed Tommy Paul, the 2021 Stockholm champion, who advanced by defeating Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic with a score of 7-6, 6-2.

"I cannot alter my age, but what matters most to me is that I always strive to fight when I step onto the court," stated Wawrinka, who is the third-oldest semi-finalist in the history of the modern ATP Tour, following Jimmy Connors and Ivo Karlovic.

"I aim to improve and take pleasure in what I do. The motivation for my continued participation is to engage in matches like this, where I receive such positive energy from the audience, and I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to compete in another match tomorrow."

The former world number three delivered 14 aces and successfully converted his first match point, reaching the semi-finals in the Swedish capital for the first time in four attempts.

"The key was to maintain focus and a positive mindset," remarked Wawrinka, who had previously squandered a 2-0 lead in the second set. He is in pursuit of his 17th ATP title, his first since winning in Geneva in 2017.

Wawrinka's Grand Slam victories include the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016.

Rublev's aspirations to qualify for the ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive year faced a setback, as the 26-year-old Russian currently occupies the eighth position, with four players below him, including Paul, still in contention this week.

SportsLigue