“The energy from the crowd was amazing. The atmosphere is excellent, and it’s a pleasure to play in such an environment. I’m always surprised by the support I get here,” said Wawrinka, who has one title in Stella Maris and is still aiming for the final.

This season, however, hasn’t been particularly successful for him, and including this match, his win-loss record stands at 2-9. Over his career, he has won 16 major titles, notably triumphing at three different Grand Slam tournaments — the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open. At one point, he was ranked the world’s third-best singles player on the ATP list, and throughout his career, he has beaten all of the world’s top players. In the 2006 Umag final, he played against Novak Djokovic, who retired from the match due to breathing problems.

Wawrinka will face another qualifier on Wednesday; his opponent will be Frenchman Titouan Droguet, ranked 176th on the ATP list. Among the qualifiers, the Spanish player Pablo Llamas Ruiz, ranked 537th in singles on the ATP list, also had a successful day. He is returning from injury and is currently doing very well in Umag.