By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Feliciano Lopez toppled second-seeded Stan Wawrinka in his Queen's Club opener.
Photo credit: Mercedes Cup
Feliciano Lopez pulled off the ultimate tape job to send Stan Wawrinka packing from Queen’s Club.
On match point, Lopez nudged a backhand return that collided with the tape then crawled over the net.
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That fortuitous net-cord dribble sealed the only break of the match in Lopez’s 7-6 (4), 7-5 upset of the second-seeded Wawrinka.
The 35-year-old Lopez served 69 percent, pumped 16 aces, denied both break points he faced and won 42 of 48 first-serve points. Lopez will face either qualifier Jeremy Chardy or lucky loser Liam Broady next.
It was Lopez’s first win over Wawrinka in four years and comes two days after the left-handed Spaniard was runner-up to Lucas Pouille in the Stuttgart final.
The second-seeded Wawrinka has added Paul Annacone, who previously coached Pete Sampras, Tim Henman and Roger Federer, to his coaching team joining head coach Magnus Norman.
While Wawrinka hopes Annacone can help him master grass—Wimbledon is the lone Grand Slam championship missing from the US Open champion’s resume—he says the partnership is an aim to address a bigger picture.
“He's (an) amazing coach,” Wawrinka said of Annacone. “He had some of the best player in the world in the last so many years.
“He knows a lot about grass but tennis in general. I think we decide that's more to try to help my game in general. Not only on grass but also the big picture in general. I think it's going to be a good experience, and hopefully we can do some good work with Magnus and Paul.”
One crucial mistake cost Wawrinka the tie break today.
Wawrinka hit his first double fault of the day handing spitting up the mini break and a 5-3 lead to his opponent.
Aggression on pivotal points was key for Lopez, who attacked net with a serve-and-volley on set point only to see the return float past.
A spinning Lopez quickly retreated, located the ball and smacked a sharp forehand crosscourt sealing a one-set lead.
The 2014 finalist sped through a love hold to start the second set.
Wawrinka began finding the Spaniard’s weaker backhand wing, pushing him to deuce for the first time in the third game. But Lopez withstood the test, lashing a slice ace wide for a 2-1 second-seat lead.
Facing the first break points of the second set, Wawrinka showed forward thinking denying both break points to level at 3-all.
Surprising successive double faults followed by a hooked forehand wide put Lopez in a double break point bind in the seventh game. On the second break point, Wawrinka had a good look at a forehand passing shot but pasted the ball into the net with his down the line drive.
That was the Swiss’ last real shot.
Lopez hammered a body shot right at an attacking Wawrinka to rattle out a volley error and earn match point setting that stage for that tape-job return winner.
The Queen’s Club centre court was an upset center today.
Wild card Thanasi Kokkinakis knocked off 2016 Queen’s finalist Milos Raonic, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8).
The 21-year-old Aussie denied all nine break points he faced earning the biggest win over his career with buddy Nick Kyrgios watching from his court-side box.
Last week, Kokkinakis earned his first Tour-level win in 21 months surprising Mikhail Youzhny in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
The second-seeded Canadian suffered his first opening-round exit of the season.
Hampered by a right hamstring injury that forced him to withdraw from Acapulco, Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo, Raonic said he should benefit from Wimbledon's best-of-five set format.
"Obviously the disappointment is high right now but whatever the result was this week, I don't think that's really going to change my chances," Raonic said. "I believe I can play really well. Honestly, if this was three out of five (sets) today, it's a scenario I feel even more comfortable in because I really do believe a lot of my game can give me more time to figure out the situation and deal with it a little bit better. "But it's not. So I will go into Wimbledon with a lot of confidence because I have prepared really well."
Raonic, who reached the round of 16 at Roland Garros, was playing his first tournament with new coach and former doubles Grand Slam champion Mark Knowles in his corner.
The 2016 Wimbledon runner-up had won 10 of his last 12 matches on grass. Raonic is hopeful his alliance with Knowles will grow into a long-term partnership.
"That's what it's looking to be," Raonic said. "I brought him on. I think highly of his tennis knowledge. Even though he's been a bit away from the tour, he's been watching a lot of matches and commentating, and he understands a lot of the guys. He hasn't been off tour that long, and to be frank, most of the top guys are guys in the older category that were around when he was playing.
"So he understands these guys. He can give me some good insight. I think he can also give me good insight on my own game."