Former world number one Andy Roddick has put himself in the shoes of those competing on the ATP Challenger Tour, revealing how he would have felt if he had played Stan Wawrinka early in his career.
Wawrinka made history last week, reaching the final of an ATP Challenger event in Rennes, France at the age of 40.
Unfortunately for the three-time Grand Slam champion, he lost in the final to Frenchman Hugo Gaston, 4-6 4-6.
Facing a player as successful as Wawrinka in second-tier ATP events must be somewhat of a novelty for all who face him.
This feeling of novelty is something Andy Roddick certainly believes he would have felt if he had played Wawrinka on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Andy Roddick says he would’ve wanted to play Stan Wawrinka on the Challenger Tour as a youngster to ‘see that backhand up close’
Speaking on the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast, the 2003 US Open champion said: “He [Wawrinka] is playing exactly where his ranking says he should be playing.
“He gets wildcards into Tour events because he adds value to Tour events because he is a three-time major winner, a great player, Hall of Fame.
“But I would guess that if you are 160 in the world, you do not often get the chance to play someone who has played three singles majors. That is cool.
“If I was 18 I would be like I want to play Wawrinka, that would be sick! I want to see that backhand up close.”
Wawrinka, who made more history in July, became the second-oldest ATP Challenger finalist behind Ivo Karlovic after reaching the final in Rennes. If he does capture an ATP Challenger title in the future, he would be the oldest ever champion in that category of events.
The current holder of that title is again Karlovic, who won the 2018 Calgary Open aged 39 years and seven months.
Stan Wawrinka’s record against Andy Roddick
Stan Wawrinka and Andy Roddick faced each other four times on the ATP Tour between 2008 and 2011.
The Swiss star came out on top in three of the four meetings, first defeating the American in the semi-final of the 2008 Italian Open: a match Roddick retired from due to a shoulder injury while losing 0-3 in the first set.
The next time they faced off was in the 2009 Davis Cup. Roddick won on this occasion, defeating his rival 6-4 6-4 6-2.
Later in 2009, the pair met again at the Shanghai Masters. Roddick retired again at 3-4 in the first set due to left knee pain.
In their last meeting, at the 2011 Australian Open, Wawrinka defeated Roddick in the fourth round, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
