The traditional Swiss Day at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad truly lived up to its name – this Tuesday could not have been more Swiss or more emotional.
First, the clash between two homegrown young talents had the hearts of the fans in the completely sold-out stands racing. The 23-year-old Aargau native Jérôme Kym and the two-year-younger Zurich player Dylan Dietrich delivered a breathtaking three-set thriller – with the more experienced Kym (ATP 186) coming out on top: 7-6, 2-6, 7-6.
Already last year, Kym had made a strong impression in Gstaad by reaching the quarter-finals. On Wednesday evening, the Swiss player will face Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas (ATP 85), who defeated Ignacio Buse in straight sets (6-4, 6-4). Meanwhile, a disappointed Dietrich reflected on his narrow defeat: “It hurts, tennis can sometimes be cruel.” With some distance, however, he will certainly take away many positives from his first experience at ATP 250 level.
This was exactly where Stan Wawrinka stood 23 years ago, when he received his first wildcard for a major tournament here. This year, his long journey in the Bernese Oberland came to an end with his 14th appearance at the age of 41. And what a farewell it was: the stadium was electric, a sea of Swiss flags welcomed the fan favourite for his final appearance, and every single spectator remained in their seat for nearly three hours – cheering, supporting and celebrating every moment. “Stan the Man” left his heart on the court until the very last point of his 7-6, 4-6, 4-6 defeat against Portuguese player Jaime Faria, on a court that has always meant so much to him.
During the farewell ceremony that followed, there was hardly a dry eye in the stadium. The three-time Grand Slam champion was honoured by tournament directors Jeff Collet and Julien Finkbeiner, by his teammates with whom he heroically won the 2014 Davis Cup for Switzerland, and by the ball kids, who paid a touching tribute to their idol with a video retrospective. The EFG Swiss Open Gstaad also says:
“Merci, Stan the Man!”