Wawrinka skipped the United States Open to play preparatory tournaments on red clay, winning a challenger-level event in Prague in August before withdrawing from the subsequent Prague Open in the quarterfinals. After a first-round loss to an Italian youngster, Lorenzo Musetti, at the Italian Open, Wawrinka will be looking for a quick turnaround. Wawrinka’s advantage will only be enhanced by his recent play on clay, while Murray has focused on hardcourts for the past few months. 12, lost in the round of 16 at the U.S. Open to a surging Denis Shapovalov in four sets. At the Italian Open, he dispatched Benoît Paire in two quick sets before overtaking the world No.

Source: New York Times September 27, 2020 03:56 UTC