Andy Murray was full of praise for Stanislas Wawrinka after the Swiss was narrowly beaten by Daniil Medvedev.
At 39, Wawrinka defied age to push the world number seven all the way in a close-run encounter in the first round of the Rotterdam Open, ultimately losing in three sets.
Despite claiming the first set, the three-time Grand Slam champion was unable to maintain his level, and succumbed to a 6-7 (8) 6-4 6-1 defeat as Medvedev fought back.
But Wawrinka’s strong display earned him plenty of plaudits, as he showed he is still capable of battling it out at the top of the sport.
Most notable among those to praise the Swiss star was long-time former rival Murray, who hailed his longevity on social media during the match.
The Scot wrote on X: “Watching Stan the man battling with one of the best players in the world at nearly 40 years of age in the first round in Rotterdam. What a player! #levels.”
It’s fair to say Murray can appreciate Wawrinka’s remarkable staying power, having also continued to play well into his thirties.
The former British number one retired from tennis at the Paris Olympics, aged 37, bringing to an end an illustrious career which saw him win three Grand Slam titles.
And his time at the top saw him lock horns with some of tennis’ very best, not least Wawrinka, with the pair facing off 23 times.
While Murray edges their head-to-head record, winning on 13 occasions, it was the Swiss who won their last encounter, beating Murray in his final French Open appearance last May.
And these tight battles have certainly seen the pair develop a real mutual respect.
So much so in fact, that Wawrinka claimed that Murray’s career had been far superior to his, despite both players boasting the same number of major titles.
Speaking to Express Sport in May, the 39-year-old suggested that the Brit had competed more closely with the dominant trio of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, often called the ‘Big Three’.
He said of Murray: “For me, he was part of this Big Four era.
“From 18 years old until 30 he was always fighting with the Big Three, he was always there.
“Let’s put it that way, he won ‘only’ three because all the other [players] were taking but he was always in the final, he was always winning a lot.
“For me, his career is nothing compared to mine. He’s way ahead, he won many more titles, things than me, and his level was close to the Big Three for 10 years.”
Despite his praise for Murray, it is Wawrinka who remains competitive despite his maturing years.
Currently sitting at number 154 in the ATP rankings, he was knocked out of the Australian Open in the first round with defeat to Lorenzo Sonego in four sets.
But with his 40th birthday approaching next month, the US Open, French Open and Australian Open winner has previously admitted that he has no immediate plans to retire.
Speaking in 2024, he said: “My plan was always to continue.
“The way I feel, tennis-wise and physically, how well I train, the level of play I reach….but of course, there is also the reality of results and rankings.
“If I no longer have the opportunity to play in the big tournaments that I usually enjoy, that could affect my motivation to carry on. So far, that has not been the case.”
