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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 19, 2017

Stan Wawrinka

Indian Wells, California

R. FEDERER/S. Wawrinka

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What made you so emotional on court after the match?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I don't know (smiling). You know, it's a tough loss. Probably a bit of everything, you know, but some tough match.

In a way, I'm really happy to make the final. It's a great result on that, but you always want more. And to lose a final, it's never easy. Had some really tough weeks, also, after Australian Open. I was injured. It was really tough for me.

Anyway, I'm really happy to be that quick at that level, but still lost the final. So it wasn't easy.

Q. I know you're really close with Roger, but is it ever frustrating? He's still playing at this level at age 35. Is it ever frustrating that, Man, he's still going strong? When is he ever going to stop playing this level?
STAN WAWRINKA: No. From that side, I think it's more positive. That's mean you can still play your best tennis at that age.

So it's something you can learn from, especially for me who is going to turn 32 in few days. So this is encouraging to see that.

It's tough to lose against him. But as many other player, he's the best player ever, so we all used to lose against him. I have beat him few times. I need to check on myself what can I change to play better against him? What can I do better?

He's still a tough player to play for me, for my game, because he's playing quick. He make you feel uncomfortable and he mix a lot. It's not the best game I like to play, but it's always challenging.

I think to play a final against him in a Masters 1000 is something amazing for me. I wouldn't have dreamed that a few years ago and now it's the second we played. I won the first one. I lost today. For sure I'm disappointed, but it's still a great week for me.

Q. Good tournament. Some would say Roger is one of the best, if not the best, athlete in the world. Can you just try to put into words what makes him just such a fabulous athlete and also a fabulous ambassador?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I think everything he's doing on and off the court since more than 15 years now, not only the result he's having but everything he give back to the fans, to the sponsor, always with a smile, always doing a lot for every tournament he's playing.

And on the tennis court, he's just amazing. The way he's playing is just so beautiful, is just so nice. Everything looks perfect. He's moving amazingly well. He has amazing touch. He's doing -- he's doing everything you can do on the tennis court.

Q. And we saw Roger go down to his rival Nadal's academy in December to help him open it. Can you remember one moment where he really reached out and did something exceptional in your experience?
STAN WAWRINKA: For?

Q. That Roger did to the fans, to...
STAN WAWRINKA: All the time I think that the best he does for the fans is way he's playing and the way he's still winning big tournament. That's what they enjoy with him.

Q. You played against him several times throughout the years. Can you explain to us what the Roger Federer of 2017 has in common or has different from the...
STAN WAWRINKA: For me, I don't compare. For me, I don't compare. I just living the present, and I like the same for myself. He's for sure improve many things like I did, also.

But the game in general improve. The surface change a little bit, the balls also improve, the racquet improve. We all just going with the present.

I think today was playing really fast. He was staying on the line, trying to play fast from both side. Was tough for me to really get into it. It was a little bit windy, so was tricky condition for really putting heavy games for myself.

But he had always an answer. I had a few little opportunity that I could have maybe do better, but wasn't enough.

Q. Early on in the first set you switched racquets. What were you looking for when you switched out? Maybe it was after the third game.
STAN WAWRINKA: It's when the racquet get used a little bit. Also when you change balls, I was trying -- I just took a new string.

Q. Does this help you? Can you tell us how much reaching the final here helps you in Miami and some of the other tournaments you're going to be playing next?
STAN WAWRINKA: I will tell you after Miami tournament. Hopefully a lot it gave me for sure confidence, but doesn't make me, for sure, playing better there.

I hope I'm going to play better than last few years. I want to play more, keep winning, keep playing better, but doesn't guarantee any result. I need to look what was good here, what was not that great in the final. I need to recover from the tournament. Leave as soon as possible for Miami and get ready and practice again for the next one.

Q. You shared what happened before the US Open and you were emotional today. Can you just talk about that? Does that emotion come from the love of your game? Do you have comfort with it? Is it just who you are?
STAN WAWRINKA: It's just who I am. I really am emotional person, and I get to that point when you push the limit in every way possible, when you play a final Grand Slam, that's when your nerves can be at the top.

Today it's more the pressure going out after a tough, tough, tough week, I would say, tough two weeks, tough few weeks.

As I said after Australia, I wasn't in a good position. I was really, really struggling with my knee. I wasn't sure to be back here at that moment, in that level that quick. I had some tough weeks at home to try to be back at that level. So a little bit of everything make that.

Today after the match was tough, but in a positive way, also, because I'm really happy to be in the final here in Indian Wells. It's still amazing result for me.

I always want more, and I'm going to try to do everything possible to be the winner next time, but I need to take what's positive. That's what I'm going to do for the next few weeks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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