Former Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka is through to the third round of the Rome Masters. The Swiss defeated Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Wawrinka was in good form in the first set, dropping just two points on his first serve. He got three looks at the Paire serve and was able to break once to take the set.
Things looked in control at the beginning of the second as Wawrinka forced more break point chances. Paire saved though, and the Frenchman managed to break himself in the next game.
Wawrinka again forced break points but Paire held for a three game lead. Paire then sealed another break late in the set.
The third set saw Wawrinka regain a measure of control over proceedings. He took an early break, and Paire looked to resigned. Paire did manage to entertain the crowd with a few cat-and-mouse points with Wawrinka. The Swiss remained professional though to gain revenge for his defeat to Paire last week in Madrid.
Wawrinka will next face American John Isner, who has wins over Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Florian Mayer so far this week.
Isner is joined in round three by a fellow American as Sam Querrey defeated Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-3. The Acapulco champion fended off some early break points before breaking in the last game of the first set. Querrey earned an early break in the second and though he faced some resistance in serving for the match, finished the victor.
Querrey will face eighth seed Dominic Thiem in the third round. Thiem defeated Pablo Cuevas in a repeat of their Madrid semi-final 7-6, 6-4. Cuevas had served for the first set, but was broken and then lost the tiebreak. Thiem earned a break midway through the second for a third round place.
