No home comfort for Stan

Basel (Switzerland), Oct. 25: Stan Wawrinka was forced to withdraw from Friday’s Basel quarterfinal showdown against best friend Roger Federer with a back injury, just an hour after struggling past America’s Frances Tiafoe in a gruelling second round clash.

“The bad news is that I will have to retire,” the 34-year-old three-time Grand Slam winner said after his 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win.

“I had some trouble with my back in the last game. I’m sure I cannot make it for tomorrow (Friday). I will pull out.” Top seed Federer, chasing a 10th title at his hometown event, will receive a walkover into Saturday’s semi-finals.

It would have been the 27th meeting between the two Swiss teammates and Federer would have been the comfortable favourite boasting a 23-3 record over their 14-year rivalry.

Wawrinka stands in provisional 14th place in the points race to the year-end ATP Finals and his chances of qualifying now look slim with just next week’s Paris Masters to play on the regular schedule.

The struggle against Tiafoe, which lasted for two and a half hours and was decided by an 11minute concluding game, had put Wawrinka into his fifth quarterfinal at the Swiss tournament.

“I was fighting well, he was playing well, I expected a tough match,” Wawrinka said.

Wawrinka hammered 14 aces — his last two in the penultimate game.

Tiafoe saved a Wawrinka match point with an ace of his own in the final game before the home favourite got the crowd on its feet with a backhand winner down the line to seal the success.

TSITSIPAS IN QUARTERS

Stefanos Tsitsipas reached his 13th quarterfinal of the year when he came back to claim a 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4 win over Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis.

The third seed will next face Serb Filip Krajinovic who upset fifth seed Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4.