Roland Garros: Stan Wawrinka vs Hugo Gaston preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020
Match details
Fixture: Stan Wawrinka vs Hugo Gaston
Date: 2 October 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000
Match timing: Approx. 1 pm CEST, 4.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports Select / Disney+ Hotstar VIP | Europe - Eurosport
Stan Wawrinka vs Hugo Gaston preview
In a David vs Goliath encounter, former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka will take on 239th-ranked Hugo Gaston in the third round of the 2020 French Open on Friday.
For the 20-year-old Gaston, this is the second-ever appearance at the main draw of a Grand Slam; the first was at the Australian Open earlier this year. Needless to say, he has surprised everyone by making it this far, defeating Maxime Janvier and Yoshihito Nishioka in the first two rounds.
But now he is up against one of the giants of modern-day tennis in Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss may not be the player he was a few years ago, with injuries having taken a toll on his body, but he still packs more than a punch - especially at Grand Slams.
Clay also happens to be a strong suit of Wawrinka's, and that was reinforced by his victories over Andy Murray and Dominik Koepfer in the opening rounds. The Swiss' forehand has been firing on all cylinders in these slow conditions, and he’ll be hoping to keep it at that level (or better) during the next phase of the tournament.
Should Wawrinka get past Gaston, he will be up against one of Casper Ruud or Dominic Thiem in the fourth round.
Stan Wawrinka vs Hugo Gaston head-to-head
Given Hugo Gaston’s inexperience at the top level, it is no surprise that this is his first ever encounter against Stan Wawrinka. The head-to-head, therefore, currently stands at 0-0.
Stan Wawrinka vs Hugo Gaston prediction
Hugo Gaston would look to use some variety in his groundstrokes to make Stan Wawrinka expend more energy during the rallies. Not the most agile player on the tour, the Swiss could potentially be worn out if he has to move up-and-down as well as side-to-side, which could create an opening or two for Gaston.
But if Wawrinka’s groundstrokes and movement are on point, then there isn’t much Gaston would be able to do to stop the onslaught. Given the lack of a standout weapon in his armory, Gaston will likely get overpowered in most rallies.
Stan Wawrinka is never an easy man to beat on clay, irrespective of his form and age. If he’s fit he is always a huge threat, and as such this match would be quite an uphill task for the inexperienced Hugo Gaston.
Prediction: Stan Wawrinka to win in straight sets.