Wawrinka excited to return to ATP Tour

Stan Wawrinka’s comeback from injury at the Australian Open may have ended prematurely but he returns to the ATP Tour this week feeling in better shape.

After undergoing knee surgery last August, Wawrinka managed to see off Ricardas Berankis at Melbourne Park, only to then go down in straight sets to Tennys Sandgren in round two.

Despite that loss, Wawrinka says the grand slam helped restore his confidence and he is ready to make his Tour return at the Sofia Open.

“For me it was really important mentally, but as well – for my knee to see that everything is going to right direction,” he told the tournament’s website.

“I knew I wasn’t ready to play in a good level and physically I was still far away from I want to be.

“But it was important to test the knee, to see how it is reacting and also mentally to be a little bit back in the tour.

2017 champion Grigor Dimitrov has withdrawn from @sofiaopentennis

Dimitrov will be replaced by @stanwawrinka, who will make his debut on Bulgarian soil