PARIS — Stan Wawrinka battered the ball as if each swing would determine the outcome of his French Open semifinal against No. 3-seeded Wawrinka, a 32-year-old from Switzerland nicknamed “Stan the Man,” called “probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis.” He will face Rafael Nadal in the French Open final. “I know that mentally, when I’m there, it’s difficult to beat me.”A year ago at the French Open, Wawrinka lost to Murray in the semifinals. Wawrinka used his sublime one-handed backhand and hammer of a forehand to send Murray scrambling and sliding all over Court Philippe Chatrier. He is the oldest man in a French Open title match since Niki Pilic was 33 when he was the runner-up to Ilie Nastase in 1973.

Source: National Post June 09, 2017 16:33 UTC