BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — On a stellar day for veteran Grand Slam champions, Stan Wawrinka beat third-ranked Casper Ruud and Andy Murray rallied to win in three sets in the first round of the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday.
The 37-year-old Wawrinka hit his ninth ace to seal a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ruud, who was the U.S. Open runner-up last month, and delight his home crowd.
Wawrinka is now ranked No. 194 after persistent injury problems but the win was his second over a top-five opponent in five weeks. He beat fourth-ranked Daniil Medvedev last month in Metz, France.
Murray, a former U.S. Open champion like Wawrinka, earlier won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 against Roman Safiullin after the Russian led 4-1 in the final set.
The 35-year-old Murray, who also won two Wimbledon titles, reeled off five straight games to complete the victory after more than 2 ½ hours on court. It was the No. 49-ranked Scot’s first match in Basel since 2005.
Wawrinka first played in Basel 19 years ago but never went beyond the semifinals at the event won by hometown favorite Roger Federer a record 10 times.
Wawrinka next plays Brandon Nakashima of the United States. He could face Murray in the quarterfinals.
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