Stanislas Wawrinka says his ‘level is great’ as he reaches Italian Open second round, Kyle Edmund bows out

Stanislas Wawrinka is through to the second round of the Italian Open for the 13th time in his career after a straightforward 6-2 6-4 win over Ilya Ivashka.

The 38-year-old hit 26 winners and saved one break point to secure a comfortable victory.

The Swiss, who is the oldest player in the Rome draw, will play 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.

“I was ready for it. I am playing well. It was a good first match and I am really happy to get through again,” Wawrinka said.

“I have been working hard to get to this level. This year I am playing much better, but I need to win more matches.

“That is what I am missing a bit, the confidence to win more matches. But in general the level is great.”

It was a day to forget for Kyle Edmund as he struggles to build any form in 2023 after an almost two-year lay-off.

He has now lost nine main-draw matches in a row after falling to a 6-1 6-3 defeat to French qualifier Alexandre Muller.

Muller will now play another Briton – Cameron Norrie – in the second round.

Richard Gasquet broke his racquet in frustration during his defeat to China’s Yibing Wu in the first round.

Wu won the match 3-6 6-3 6-2 in one hour and 57 minutes.

Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry has set up a second-round meeting against Novak Djokovic after he defeated Frenchman Luca Van Assche 7-6(7) 6-3 on his Rome debut.

Alexander Bublik battled through to the second round after beating Pedro Martinez 6-3 7-6. He will face USA’s Ben Shelton next.

Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis is also through after his opponent Jaume Munar was forced to retire at 4-2 down in the first set with an injury.

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