Wawrinka keeps home hope alive in Basel with three-set win over Nakashima

Swiss Stan Wawrinka edged out American Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors at the Halle Saint-Jacques in Basel on Thursday evening.

Wawrinka, ranked No 194, will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, the No 6 seed, next. He is up to 151 in the live rankings, and could get to around 127 with another win in Basel.

Wawrinka is showing signs of life at the conclusion of a difficult season. The three-time Slam champion has been on the mend from two foot surgeries and has only played 20 matches on tour, winning just eight.

But he has shown elevated form since the US Open, reaching the semi-finals in Metz and the quarter-finals this week in Basel. Wawrinka will bid for his third semi-final in Basel on Friday when he faces Bautista Agut for the third time (1-1 head-to-head).

In the previous round, the 37-year-old Swiss won against Norwegian Casper Ruud, the second seed (6-4, 6-4).

Nakashima, ranked No 44, edged out Belgian wildcard David Goffin (2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4) during the first round.

Basle ATP 500, other second-round results (Halle Saint-Jacques, EUR 2.135.350, most recent results first):

• Holger Rune vs. Ugo Humbert
• Felix Auger-Aliassime (3) beat Miomir Kecmanovic: 6-1, 6-0
• Roberto Bautista Agut beat Andy Murray: 6-3, 6-2
• Alexander Bublik beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas: 6-3, 6-3
• Pablo Carreno Busta (5) beat Dominic Stricker (WC): 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4
• Carlos Alcaraz (1) beat Botic van de Zandschulp: 6-4, 6-2
• Arthur Rinderknech (Q) beat Alex Molcan: 6-2, 6-4

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