“I knew when I came here that my destiny was in my own hands and I had to win matches but if I don’t make it, then I wasn’t good enough,” said Wawrinka. PHOTO: AFP
The Swiss number two solidified his seventh place ranking with a confident 6-3, 6-2 hammering of his Spanish 12th seeded opponent.
Wawrinka will join his Olympic double’s partner Roger Federer for the season’s grande finale in the English capital, should either Frenchman Richard Gasquet or Milos Raonic of Canada lose their third-round matches.
The 28-year-old also remains on course for a fifth career ATP victory as he puts the finishing touches on what has been his finest season.
“I knew when I came here that my destiny was in my own hands and I had to win matches but if I don’t make it, then I wasn’t good enough,” said Wawrinka.
Gasquet takes on Japanese world number 18 Kei Nishikori for the right to play world number one Rafael Nadal or last year’s surprise finalist Jerzy Janowicz of Poland in the last four.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Davis Cup semi-finalist and 10th seed Raonic has a stiff challenge in his third-round tie against Czech world number Thomas Berdych.
The 22-year-old has to reach the final in Paris to snatch one of the final spots from Wawrinka or Gasquet with these three players battling for the final two slots.
Federer became the last player to seal his place at London when he sailed past South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 for his 12th straight appearance at the World Tour Finals.
He said following the victory that it had been a hard slog to complete his task.
“In a way I’m relieved, but mainly I’m happy and proud of having been able to do that in a difficult year,” said Federer.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2013.
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