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WAWRINKA

Former French Open champion Wawrinka in winning Geneva start

Stan Wawrinka, who suffered a shock first round exit in Rome last week in his first match in three months, returned to winning ways Wednesday by seeing off Jared Donaldson of the United States 6-3, 6-4 in his Geneva tournament opener.

Former French Open champion Wawrinka in winning Geneva start
Stan Wawrinka in Marseille in February. File photo: AFP

Wawrinka is building up to the French Open which he won in 2015 but his career has been badly affected by a recent knee injury that required surgery and meant he had only won three matches all year before Wednesday.

The Swiss star, twice a champion in Geneva, only got on to court just after 9pm due to rain at the Swiss venue.

He will face Hungary's world number 60 Marton Fucsovics in Thursday's quarter-finals.

TENNIS

Wawrinka wins comeback match after six months out

Former champion Stan Wawrinka was taken to four sets before winning his first match since knee surgery in July at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Wawrinka wins comeback match after six months out
Photo: William West/AFP
The three-time Grand Slam winner downed Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2) on Hisense Arena.
   
It was a confidence booster for the 2014 Melbourne Park champion who had a troubled lead-in to the year's opening Grand Slam, pulling out of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
   
The Swiss star, who defeated Rafael Nadal to win in 2014, has slipped to nine in the world rankings, having not played since his first-round Wimbledon loss to Russian Daniil Medvedev six months ago.
   
“It was a tough battle and I'm really happy to win my first match here after six months out,” Wawrinka said.