Travel whiplash for Stan before final NY wildcard

Stan Wawrinka has happily made a round-trip Atlantic crossing as a late wild card for the US Open materialised almost on queue for the three-time Grand Slam champion.

The 41-year-old Swiss who won the title at Flushing Meadows a decade was left off the the original list for a final main draw singles wild cad,with the entry going to an American journeyman and handing the American federation a boatload of bad publicity.

But as if on queue, Patrick Kypson suddenly pulled out with an injury, with the USTA handing the cad to the popular Stan the Man.

The decision this week sent Wawrinka back to North America where he had been only days earlier at the now-three-week event.

But with his place in the field now secured, Wawrinka could care less about the convoluted process and the original USTA lack of commitment to a popular past champion as he plays ot the last season of his career.

“It was a bit of roller coaster  because I came back home Monday night from New York,” Wawrinka said on Saturday with the tournament starting on Sunday.

“It was in my mind the end of my Grand Slam career., I would have loved to be here. So I had to accept those emotions by not having the wildcard, and I was okay with that.”

But he added: “I always say that the only way to be sure to play a tournament, you have to be the right ranking.And I knew I wasn’t on the list directly, so I was hoping for a wildcard.

“But I also know that wildcard are not granted.  I was just sad not to be able to say good-bye to New York and to the US Open.”

But the situation flipped on its head at mid-week.

I got the call Wednesday when I was in the Swiss mountains. So of course I was happy, and I had to quickly organize to be back here.”

No. 127 Wawrinka will start his wrapup Grand Slam with a difficult test against Matteo Berrettini, a repeat of a Wimbledon first round nearly two months ago won by the Italian in four tiebreak sets.

” Very interesting rematch, of course. Wimbledon was a tough battle. Was great match. I think we both played well… more than four hours, four tiebreaks, so it was really special, 

“At the end, he’s a really tough player to play. He’s a great guy. He’s a good friend also, so it’s going to be special to play him again here.

Wawinka is hoping to prolong the last major of his two-decade-plus career through a few rounds in Flushing Meadows.

“New York, it’s one of my favorite cities by far. Really always enjoy to be here, to have the chance. I love the city, I love the energy.

“The US Open is something really special as a tennis player, from the first one to those three weeks, you see the support, you see the fans. 

“I’ve been here for more than 20 years. I’ve played on every court, even the small one, practice court. There is always a lot of support, a lot of
fans. I have always been enjoying that.”