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ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2017

Stan Wawrinka

Paris, France

S. WAWRINKA/M. Cilic

6-3, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I'm guessing you maybe didn't expect that scoreline when you went into the match given how well he was playing.
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, for sure I didn't expect that score, but I was confident with my game. I knew he was playing good since the beginning of the tournaments, but I was confident with what I was doing since the beginning of the tournament. I think I'm playing well. I think I know how to play him.

Today was a perfect match for me, I thought very well from the beginning. I was playing the right play. It's great. I'm really happy to be in the semifinal here.

Q. It's another Grand Slam, another deep run. How aware are you of how much better you are in best of five compared to best of three in terms of winning? What do you attribute it to?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I know the stats in the last three years, but, you know, I'm always trying to give my best in any tournament. Every tournament I want to win. Is just I don't find the same way in other tournament than in Grand Slam. But again, I think I'm quite happy with my career, with what I'm doing every year.

For me, it's important to still focus on what I'm doing here. I think everything is going well so far, so let's try to push for more.

Q. It will be a repetition of last year's semifinal. What is different this year in the way you feel, in your game? Do you expect a different result this year?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, hopefully different results. That's for sure. That's what I expect and I hope.

It's going to be interesting match, for sure. Last year I was playing really well. I was confident. He was playing better than me I remember on that court. In the semifinal, he was really aggressive in his game. He was pushing me all the time, so was tough for me to find any solution last year.

But again, it's a different year. I think he's struggling a little bit since the beginning of the year, but he's in the semifinal. So a champion like him, when they find a way to win matches, he's playing better and better. So I expect him to play his best tennis.

But again, I know the way I'm playing so far, and hopefully I can win this match.

Q. On that match, I think he surprised you a bit because when he played that semifinal last year, he did take the ball on so early. So do you think you'll be prepared for that this time?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, last year, as I say, I was really confident with what was doing and was really aggressive. When you have a lot of wins behind and your confidence with your game, you can go for more. That's what he did last year, for sure. I expect him to try to do the same, because that's always trying to play against me, to be aggressive and all.

But I think I will answer with my game. I think I'm playing better than last year, also. Can be only a big challenge and hopefully a good match.

Q. You said you didn't expect the score, the score of today. Did you expect the score of Djokovic losing 6-Love in the third set with Thiem? How surprised are you? What kind of opinion do you have on that?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, for sure, no one expected Djokovic with 6-Love in the third set, but I watch a little bit the first set. He had some chance to take it, to be a little bit more confident, little by little.

But the fact that Thiem took that set and start to be a little bit more confidence and going a little bit more for his shot, he killed the match.

What I have to say else, I don't know. Novak is still looking his way back. He's still fighting, trying to find right way to find his tennis. He didn't find it yet, but we all think he's gonna find it. Hopefully soon, because he's a great champion. It's always nice to see him play good.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about how you felt about your tennis over the last few weeks, what's working well for you, and what your frame of mind has been like over the last few weeks, as well, please.
STAN WAWRINKA: I'm happy with the way I'm playing in general. I think I'm serving, doing everything well. I have been practicing really hard since we change on the clay courts.

I didn't have some good matches the first few tournaments. But since I start to win more matches in Geneva and win the tournament, I find the confidence with my game. And now I'm happy and I'm confident.

Today was a perfect example. I'm playing great tennis. I went for everything on the court, and I'm happy to be in the semifinal again.

Q. Today you again did the mental gesture.
STAN WAWRINKA: When? I didn't.

Q. You always do that. How do you work with different conditions of wind and the weather changing so much and working on those conditions along your game?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I adapt my tennis, for sure. I adapt -- we always adapt. Depends on the condition. We used to adapt in those conditions.

Then for sure against a guy like Murray, I'm playing a different game than when I play against Monfils. That's for sure.

Trying to mix a little bit more the speed today, trying to play some higher balls, slice, take the control when I can, but not to give him the same rhythm all the time.

Q. You obviously remember last year's match against Murray really well. Does it give you extra motivation when you play somebody again at the same tournament that you've lost to, or do you not bother to...
STAN WAWRINKA: I don't think we need extra motivation. When you arrive in the semifinal of a Grand Slam, the motivation is quite high.

For me, for me doesn't change that we played last year and that I lost against him. It's a new match. It's a new year. We can see everything is completely different from last year.

The week before the tournaments we did some different results, so it's going to be a great match. It's always a great challenge to play the World No. 1 in a Grand Slam.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. You're going to play Andy Murray in the semifinal, same as last year. How is it going to compare?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, he defeated me last year. He was playing better. He was really playing well last year.

I think it will be an interesting match. The conditions are a little different. I think he's probably a bit less confident. He's a bit more hesitant. Hopefully I can take advantage of that and find solutions to beat him.

Q. I don't know if you saw the movie, "The Endless Day." Do you feel like you're sometimes in that movie where the days never end? You arrive in Geneva and you have to start from scratch and do it all over again. You arrive in Paris. You're back to square one. You have to do it all over again.
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I suppose sometimes it is a little tough. The thing is, I never give up. I never give up training, for example. I work hard. I try to do what's right. I work with my team. I listen to my team members. And sometimes I lose. Your confidence goes down, and then you have to work hard again to rebuild your confidence.

The past two, three weeks were very good. Good momentum. I won Geneva. I'm here now. I'm playing really well. I'm very happy of how things have gone so far.

I'm very calm. I'm extremely confident about my game. Here we are in the semifinals, and hopefully I can go on.

Q. You have never spent so little time on the court. Do you feel fresher physically and mentally compared to other tournaments?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, there have been other tournaments indeed where making it to the semifinals was much more difficult with longer matches, and I think it does have an impact. It does take a toll on you.

The fact is that so far things have gone quite well. Yeah, I think physically and mentally I feel ready. I feel fresh. My tennis is good. So everything has been going very well.

If I want to move on to the next round, I have to continue doing what I have been doing so far.

Q. You seem very strong at key moments in the match when there is a break point against you or in your favor. How do you explain this?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think it's because I'm very confident and mentally very strong. It's based on a lot of preparation. I have worked hard to build my confidence. I have really worked hard to serve. When I come on the court, I just know that I can do it.

And also, the fact I have, you know, a solid track record, winning tournaments, Grand Slam tournaments, and, you know, that really helps.

Q. You are the oldest semifinalist since Jimmy Connors back in 1985. How do you explain you're in such wonderful shape at your age?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, tennis has changed tremendously. You look at today's top 5. We're all above 30. I don't think this has ever happened in recent years.

You know, there's two things. With Roger, Rafa, we have great examples. Today, players play longer. It's harder, I think, when you're very young to make it to the top. Today it takes a little more maturity. It takes a lot of hard work both physically and mentally.

And, yeah, I'm part of the old ones, so to speak, but mentally I feel very young. I have only been at the top 5 for a few years, so it's all still very fresh and young for me. I think that this is why I'm so intact and preserved and still very, very motivated.

Q. You like this tournament. The public supports you. Do you feel French to a certain extent?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I'm quite happy to be a Swiss citizen, I have to say. But I truly enjoy coming here. Since I won the French Open, people have been extremely warm and welcoming. I also receive a tremendous amount of support, and the atmosphere here is great. That really makes it a very pleasant experience.

Q. Tomorrow Timea will be playing her semifinal. It's her birthday, as well. Yesterday she told us about you. She said a lot of great things. She said, He inspires me. What would you say about Timea?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, first of all, I would like to wish her best of luck for tomorrow. I think she can offer herself a wonderful birthday present tomorrow, winning the semifinal.

What she's done so far in her career is just fabulous. For a while, she quit. She decided to do something else. She came back. She's very passionate. It's a beautiful story, and hopefully she can make it to the final.

Q. Do you sometimes see each other here at the French Open? Do you talk to each other?
STAN WAWRINKA: We do quite regularly, I must say. Not this year because we weren't necessarily playing the same days, but yes, we see each other on the circuit and we talk to each other, and I think we like each other.

Q. If you had to choose a second victory at the French Open or a first one in Wimbledon, if you won Wimbledon, you would be one of the happy few who won on all four different surfaces. What would be the most important?
STAN WAWRINKA: You know what? It's not like I can really choose to win a Grand Slam tournament. You really need to fight hard, and it's a big fight.

I mean, looking at what's happening here, I'll be playing Murray. Who knows? Maybe Rafa after.

I try to do my very best to make it to the Grand Slam, and hopefully one day I can win another Grand Slam tournament.

Again, if I had to choose one or the other, you know what? I'm happy with both. Honestly, one or the other, it's equal to me.

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