	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OPEN

September 7, 2015

Stan Wawrinka

New York, NY, USA

S. WAWRINKA/D. Young

6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

An interview with:

STAN WAWRINKA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you a bit worried after the second set that the match might turn around, given that he's done it in the first two rounds?
STAN WAWRINKA: Oh, I wasn't thinking about that really. I was more focused about myself. It was not the best set, but in general I'm happy. I think was the better match I played so far.

Some good moments on the court. I was feeling better. Mentally I was there. It was a good win for me.

Q. Donald has had a good tournament for him. How much a different player is he today than when you played him in 2011?
STAN WAWRINKA: It's a long time ago. He was younger at that time. I think now he's more the player that he is. He's playing his game. He's trying to play the way he want. He's trying to do things. He's coming on the court knowing what he's going to try to do. That's it.

Now we have to see how he's going to go from here also because we all know that in general when he's playing at home he's playing better than the rest of the tournaments.

Q. That was not your best second set. How glad are you to get that out of the way before it gets further in the tournament?
STAN WAWRINKA: I'm happy. I'm happy. I think I start the third set really right again. I was physically there trying to play again more aggressive the way I start the match also.

Even if we play fourth set, I think we play just a little bit more than two hours, so it was quite a quick match.

Q. Of all the quarterfinalists you had to run the most kilometers so far in this tournament.
STAN WAWRINKA: It's good. I'm losing weight then.

Q. How do you think it will affect the future in this tournament?
STAN WAWRINKA: Nothing. Doesn't affect anything, I think. We'll see. There are still players playing so they can still run more than me maybe (smiling).

Again, maybe I run more than Novak or the other player. I still didn't play so many long match. I lost only one set today. But we play only more than two hours.

I don't know. It's a Grand Slam. We have one day rest after every match. I feel really fresh actually. So I don't mind at all.

Q. At this point we don't know for sure who you'll be playing next. If it is Andy Murray, how would you describe what you think of the way Murray is playing right now and what his biggest challenge is for you?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I think he show this year and this summer especially that he's back to his top level. I saw him. I was impressed with the final in MontrÃ©al. He was playing really aggressive. He's there. He knows what he's doing on the court. He feel good.

He always love to play summer, hard court summer. It's going to be a tough challenge to play against him.

It will depend a lot how I can play, how I can go on the court, how I'm going to serve, how I'm going to be there. Generally it's always been some great match against him.

Q. What do you consider the quality that makes him best on hard courts?
STAN WAWRINKA: His game in general. He feel the ball well. He's doing everything good. He's also physically at his top again. I think a few years ago he had some back problem. Wasn't the best for him. Since that, he's back at his top.

Q. For a good while people spoke about the big four in tennis. You've won two of the last seven majors. Do you think you belong right at the very top in the conversation of elite players?
STAN WAWRINKA: I already answer that question many time.

I don't think I am close to the big four. The big four is again not what happened the last two years, but what happened the past 10 years. They've been there since 10 years winning everything.

Okay, if you look, maybe my level the last two year change a lot. I win two Grand Slam, I won one Masters 1000 and everything, so I improve a lot myself. But I'm far away from the big four. If you look, Andy has like maybe what, 47, 48 title? I have only 10. I think for me it's clear.

Q. Back to running. Tennis had a reputation of maybe not being the demanding sport. Where do you feel tennis fits in now in this era with the other sports as a demanding sport, physically demanding sport?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think it's one of the toughest physically sport. You need to be ready to do everything. For sure we're not running 10 kilometer per match, but it's only about being ready.

If you look more the general picture, we're changing surface, we're traveling a lot, we have to adapt. We can play the day, we can play the night. We can play in 40 degree, we can play indoor. The body has to be ready for every situation. That's one of the toughest thing in tennis.

Q. Could you pick one area in which you would say you've made the greatest improvement from the past two years versus the player earlier in your career?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, yeah, not really. I would say that now when I play my top game, when I'm really feel the best on the court, I know I can keep it all the match.

If I take French Open final, I was playing the best tennis I could play. I knew that I will keep the level all the match. So that's maybe where I improve the most.

Q. Donald Young showed up today and he didn't have his shoes. Have you ever come to a match where you didn't have a key part of your equipment?
STAN WAWRINKA: It's not my coach who took them (smiling).

Q. Are we ever going to see those fabulous French Open shorts again?
STAN WAWRINKA: I'm lucky no one stole anything from my locker yet. It's been okay so far.

About the shorts, I think never again. You have the minishort that you can get now and put on your bag, if you want.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297