Mariano Navone and a triumph to remember: he defeated the Swiss Stan Wawrinka, the tennis player idolized by his generation

Mariano Navone is having a very good week in the ATP250Marrakech and this Thursday he achieved a great victory against a high-ranking rival, who he idolized when he was little. The native of Buenos Aires, 60th in the rankings, eliminated the Swiss Stan Wawrinkaformer world number three and winner of three Grand Slam tournaments, who he beat 3-6, 7-5 and 6-2 in two hours and 18 minutes of play, to reach the quarter-finals.

“For those born in 2000 or 2001, like me, it is impossible not to have idolized Wawrinka. The Mariano of 5-6 years ago would never have imagined being able to play against a legend, much less beat him”, he declared. he said excitedly after the victory.

Wawrinka, currently in 82nd place in the rankings, prevailed in the first set, with a huge superiority on the first serve (he won 18 of the 19 points played) and two breaks. But the Argentine reacted, started playing with more confidence and managed to come back from a match against a player with much more experience than him and very dangerous on clay, despite being far from the best version of him.

Seventh seed of the tournament, Navone had beaten the Tunisian on his debut Aziz Dougazguest of the organization, and had celebrated his first victory at the level ATP outside of South America.

The man from Buenos Aires, born on July 9th 23 years ago, plays only his fourth main draw in a tournament on the most important men’s tennis circuit. He debuted at the beginning of February in Cordobawhere he lost in the first round against the Spanish Roberto Carballes Baena. The following week it surpassed the quality in Buenos Airesbut failed to add victories in the main draw when he fell to the Italian-Argentine Luciano Darderi.

Then he traveled to Rio de Janeiro, where it was discovered. He passed the preliminary stage and reached the final, with victories against Federico Coria, Yannick Hanfmann, João Fonseca AND Cameron Norrie. He failed to lift the trophy because he crossed paths with a Sebastiano Baez inspired, who beat him easily 6-2 and 6-1.

The good results of that tour allowed him to make a big leap in the rankings: after starting the year 125th, he reached 59th at the beginning of March.

Navone was one of the most important Argentines of the Challenger’s Tour 2023, in which he won five titles, all in the second half. He started the current season by playing a tournament of that category in Buenos Aires (he lost in the duel for the title with Facundo Bagnis) and after an uncelebrated passage as Australian Openhe lived those unforgettable weeks on the brick dust of South America.

He could not extend his winning streak in the first Masters 1000 of the year, Indian Wells and Miami, because he had not signed up to play them. So he remained in Argentina to prepare with everything possible for the slow pitch season in Europe which will culminate Roland Garros.

He thus reached an excellent level in Marrakech, where he has already won two matches and broke a new barrier. Because with the victory against Wawrinka he ensured that he rose to at least 55th place in the rankings, his best position. We now await the winner of the clash between the Austrian Sebastien Ofner, 47th in the standings and second favourite, and the Australian Aleksandar Vukic67th, with the hope of taking another step and continuing to grow