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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 7, 2017

Stan Wawrinka

Madrid, Spain

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Stan, can you tell us how you feel heading into this tournament, and what kind of expectations do you usually have for yourself in this period?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I feel good. I think I've been practicing a lot the last two weeks. Since Monaco I've been doing a lot of fitness, tennis, with my team.

I'm feeling fit and ready. I'm feeling good. I know now I'm playing a few tournaments in a row, clay court. Hopefully I can do some big result. That's what I'm looking for.

Here I know I can play well. It's always tricky condition. It's flying a little bit. It's not easy to play your best tennis at the beginning.

Let's see how I can start and how I can feel at the beginning of the tournament.

Q. I think you trained with Grigor Dimitrov. Can you tell us something about that training. Maybe it helps you to improve something.
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, he's good friend. We practice a lot together. Play doubles sometimes. Was good practice. Sunday morning practice. I think good intensity.

In general, I'm feeling good with my game. I probably going to play only Wednesday, so I have still few more days to practice.

Q. Last few years this hasn't been the easiest tournament for you. Is it maybe the conditions that are not necessarily your favorite, the way that the ball can fly, with the altitude? You also made the finals here.
STAN WAWRINKA: For sure, the condition are not easy. As I say, if I really not confident with my game, you have some hesitation with your game, it's going to fly a little bit more than normally. That's why it's important to feel good on the court, to feel ready, to know what you're going to do exactly.

As I say, I know I'm playing well. I know I can play well here because I did in the past. But just hope I'm going to start well the tournament.

Q. Do you think Rafael Nadal is the best on this surface?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yes, for sure.

Q. Thank you.
STAN WAWRINKA: No problem (laughter).

Q. How do you feel the Madrid tournament helps you in preparation for Roland Garros? Former champion, you know what it takes to go all the way.
STAN WAWRINKA: I don't see a tournament like Madrid as a preparation for Roland Garros. For me it's a big tournament. It's important tournament in the calendar.

When I come here, I come here to play well, to make some results, not to get some matches before French Open. For me it's important to try to make results every week I'm playing. That's how I see this big tournament.

Q. Obviously there's been a lot of talk about Novak now splitting with his team, about Roger doing well in the past few months. Do you feel you've maybe got the chance to be a bit more lurking in the background, just prepare well for your clay season without having that much focus or that much pressure on you? Or, as a three-time Grand Slam winner, is there always going to be pressure at every event?
STAN WAWRINKA: For me it's always been a little bit like that. I'm doing my own stuff with my team. I'm happy the way I've been doing the preparation. I know there is a lot of different things this year compared to last year, with Roger winning all the three biggest tournament of the beginning of the year, Rafa playing well, winning on clay now, Andy and Novak struggling a little bit. Yeah, for sure, the focus is now there. That's completely normal.

But, you know, I'm doing my stuff and trying to do the best I can.

Q. You've talked in the past about wanting to find the consistency, like Andy, Rafa and Novak. How do you feel you're going along in that regard? Are you getting more consistent?
STAN WAWRINKA: I'm working every day to play my best tennis every match I'm playing. You know, I can answer that question at the end of the year. We'll see how I'm going to finish with which results. So far it's been a great beginning of the year by making semifinals Australian Open, final Indian Wells. I know I'm playing well. I know I want to keep doing some big results.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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