WATCH: Stan Wawrinka challenges chair umpire to a rally in light-hearted moment during Indian Wells clash against Holger Rune
Stan Wawrinka and chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani shared a funny moment on the court on Monday. The three-time Grand Slam champion offered the umpire an opportunity to hit a few tennis balls with him while he waited for the physio to treat opponent Holger Rune during their 2023 Indian Wells third-round match on Monday.
Seventh-seeded Rune called for a medical time-out for a shoulder problem, trailing Wawrinka 2-6, 3-4. While Wawrinka waited for Rune, he was keen to stay in the zone and asked Lahyani if he would join him on the court for a few rallies. The veteran umpire politely refused with a smile.
You can watch the moment here:
Lahyani missed a great opportunity to hit a few balls with Stan during the physio break 😂
@stanwawrinka #TennisParadise https://t.co/cIXuSgcFtW
Luckily, Wawrinka did not have to wait much longer for his opponent as Rune returned, and that too with a rejuvenated spirit. The Danish youngster found some form after treatment and clinched the second set in a tiebreaker. However, Wawrinka dug deep in the decider, brushing aside the disappointment of missing a match point at 5-3, and eventually winning 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5.
Courtesy of the win, the Swiss great reached the fourth round of a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time since 2020. Wawrinka, who also beat Aleksandar Vukic and Miomir Kecmanovic earlier this week, will next face another rising star in Jannik Sinner in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.
Stan Wawrinka and Holger Rune once again exchange words at the net after Indian Wells 3R clash
Stan Wawrinka and Holger Rune had another frosty interaction at the net, this time after their Indian Wells match on Monday. As the two players shook hands after the match, Rune asked a quiet Wawrinka why he had nothing to say to him on this occasion. The Dane's query was in reference to their previous meeting at the Paris Masters last year, after which Wawrinka told Rune to 'stop being a baby' on the court.
Rune asked Wawrinka at the net:
"You got nothing to say now?"
Wawrinka responded:
"What do you want me to say?"
…
🤐🤐🤐 https://t.co/89Q5n15dac
Wawrinka avenged the Paris Masters defeat, where Rune saved match points to win what was another thriller between the duo. The 2016 US Open champion will now look to avenge back-to-back defeats at the hands of Sinner, after having won his first two matches against the Italian. Wawrinka and Sinner last faced each other in the quarterfinals of the ABN Amro Open in Rotterdam earlier this season.