Chennai: Some consider it a liability in the modern game. But for purists, the one-handed backhand is perhaps the most elegant shot in tennis. One of the best exponents of the single-handed backhand, Stan Wawrinka showcased the dying art en route to his 6-1, 6-4 annihilation of teenager Borna Coric in the second round of the Chennai Open here on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old Croatian, who was awarded the ATP Star of Tomorrow for becoming the youngest player to reach top 100 in a decade, had no answer to Wawrinka’s stinging backhands whose precision can match up to his famous country-made watches.
A lot was expected off Coric especially after his flying start to the new season with a drubbing win over Dutchman Robin Haase in the first round. But he dealt an early blow by losing his very first service game and never really recovered from that. In the quarterfinal, Wawrinka will meet Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, who ousted wildcard entrant Elias Ymer of Sweden 6-4, 6-3. Earlier, fourth seed David Goffin recovered from a slump before posting a 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 win over Ricardas Bernakis.
