Rarely has a challenger tournament aroused such enthusiasm and attracted so much attention from tennis fans.
While the best players in the world are currently in the United States to compete in the Master 1000 in Miami, the tournament in Marbella, Spain, was on Tuesday the scene of a highly anticipated comeback, that of Stan Wawrinka.
A return delayed a few moments due to rain.
But the person concerned was no longer within a few minutes.
After more than a year without playing - 385 days to be exact - the Swiss finally became a tennis player again on Tuesday.
His last outing on the ATP Tour dates back to March 9, 2021 during the first round of the Doha tournament.
A missed return, however, because the former world number 3 was beaten as soon as he entered the fray by the Swede Elias Ymer in two small sets (6-2, 6-4) and 1h33 of play.
On very heavy clay which did not put him in the best conditions, the current 232nd in the world immediately gave up his face-off and was overtaken by the pace.
He will only rarely succeed in gaining the upper hand over his opponent despite a few thunderous blows from his backhand - as powerful as it is surgical.
🚨MATCH DAY 🚨
After a year off the courts and two surgeries, our champion @stanwawrinka is finally back!
🔥
Let's cheer for him 🎾💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/NcLa1ePKe6
— Ball Man (@ballmanproject) March 29, 2022
But the main thing was elsewhere for the winner of three Grand Slam titles, including Roland-Garros in 2015. Victim of multiple injuries and a double operation on his left foot and Achilles tendon in June 2021, the Swiss had more spent more time in rehabilitation rooms than on the courts in recent months.
He had done a large part of his fitness at Camp des Loges, supervised by PSG physiotherapists like the Italian Dario Fort.
“I went there every day, he said at the beginning of March during an interview with L'Équipe.
Mostly outside of player training times.
I spent four or five hours there, with physio, fitness… I spoke quite a bit with the players but I wasn't trying to fit in, I was there to work and not disturb them.
I was as discreet as possible but you enter a little into their world.
»
He also had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the club's players, including the Spaniard Sergio Ramos.
“I had very good discussions, especially with the coach.
I spent a lot of time, unfortunately for him and for me, with Sergio Ramos, because he was also injured
(in the calves)
during this whole period.
We had the same hours.
»
The player, 37 years old since Monday, March 28, took advantage of his break to embark on film production with his friend Kev Adams.
He announced that he would be present at Roland-Garros this year.
The countdown begins.
A few minutes after Wawrinka's exit, Austrian Dominic Thiem, who had not played since last June due to a wrist and then hand injury, suffered the same fate.
He saw his return to the game turn short, beaten in two sets (6-3, 6-4) by the Argentinian Pedro Cachin (228th in the world).