Stan Wawrinka's losing streak at the Swiss Indoors Basel ended on Monday evening. The top seed outlasted countryman Marco Chiudinelli 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 31 minutes. Wawrinka hit 16 aces and saved four of five break points against the 35-year-old Chiudinelli, who was trying to end a four-match losing streak of his own in his hometown.
Wawrinka snapped a five-match skid in Basel. The World No. 3 had fallen in the first round of the indoor tournament the past four years. He will face American Donald Young in the second round. Wawrinka leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-1 and won the last time they played, at the 2015 US Open.
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The Swiss right-hander is trying to round into strong form before the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held 13-20 November at The O2 in London. Wawrinka is one of five players who have already qualified for the year-end championships.
Fifth seed David Goffin saved all four break points to beat Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 7-6(4). The Belgian right-hander is currently in 10th place in the Emirates ATP Race To London, 220 points behind No. 9 Tomas Berdych, who fell in the first round in Vienna on Monday.
Goffin will pass Berdych if he reaches the final in Basel. The 25 year old faces If Stockholm Open champion Juan Martin del Potro or Robin Haase in the second round.