Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka learn opponents for ATP return in Marbella
Dominic Thiem will take on Pedro Cachin while Stan Wawrinka faces Elias Ymer as the two Major winners see their first competitive action in 2022 at the ATP Challenger Andalucia Open in Marbella.
Thiem, 28, last played an ATP match in June 2021 and has been out with a wrist injury, whereas Wawrinka, 36, has been away for a full year and underwent two left foot surgeries in March and June last year.
With their absences 2020 US Open winner Thiem and three-time Slam champion Wawrinka have dropped to 50th and 232nd in the ATP rankings respectively ahead of the Marbella Challenger as they looked to make a comeback on their mutual favourite surface of clay.
Thiem is the top seed at the event and faces 228th-ranked Argentinian Cachin, while Wawrinka’s Swedish opponent Ymer is ranked 131st in the world ahead of Marbella.
Both matches are first-time ATP tour meetings.
Draw is out in Marbella!
? Top seed @domithiem opens against Pedro Cachin, with @stanwawrinka facing Elias Ymer in his 2022 debut.
?? This year’s @AndaluciaOpen marks the first time a Challenger 125 event is held in Spain. pic.twitter.com/2ArpReVbEA
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 26, 2022
Wawrinka is joined in the draw by fellow tour veterans Fernando Verdasco, 38, Philipp Kohlschreiber, 38, and Pablo Andujar, 36.
Andujar could meet Thiem in the semi-finals, giving the Austrian former world number three an opportunity to avenge the loss he suffered from two sets to love up against the Spaniard at Roland Garros last year.
Wawrinka has also entered the doubles, partnering Andujar, as he looks to build time on court.
Other competitors in a strong Challenger field include Dubai finalist Jiri Vesely, seeded fourth, Rotterdam breakthrough youngster Jiri Lehecka and sixth-seeded Jaume Munar, who reached the final of Marbella in 2021 when the event was an ATP 250 level tournament.
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