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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2018

Stan Wawrinka

Cincinnati, Ohio

R. FEDERER/S. Wawrinka

6-7, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Great fight out there, really close match. How close do you think you are right now to playing your best tennis? Because you looked pretty great the first two sets.
STAN WAWRINKA: For sure it was a great level. I think I'm playing great in general. I'm playing better every day, every week. Last week were really important and really good for myself, for my tennis, for my confidence. I play some good match, tough match, tough win by not playing well, but then getting the confidence back. I practice a lot.

I'm happy to see where I am right now. I had a tough match last week against Rafa. Close match, also. Today was against Roger. They are No. 1 and No. 2 in the world. I beat Schwartzman, I beat Nishikori, so the level is good.

I need to keep improving, keep working, keep doing the right thing and keep pushing myself. For sure tonight I'm sad and disappointed to lose, but for me it's a big victory for myself after what I had last year. It was exactly one year ago. To see where I was also few weeks ago, I'm really happy to be here.

Q. Very unusual tonight with the lightning after two points to start the third set. Wondering what you did. Did you consult with your coaching during that period of time?
STAN WAWRINKA: My coaching is not here (smiling). No, but I was in the gym a little bit. I was waiting to know. I was trying to stay warm, because especially when you play two match in the same day, you know, I didn't play so much tennis in that level the past few months, so it was more than for me to stay warm, to not get any injury, and to wait to see what's going to happen.

Q. In a way, today is not ideal playing two matches, but at the same time, playing New York where you have a five-set format, it kind of tested that physicality. So how are you feeling with that?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think last two weeks were great to test myself. I played three match in a row last week, a three-setter, three-setter, and then finish with a tight match against Rafa.

This week again I'm playing some good tennis, some big tennis. I think it's improving, getting there. I need to keep doing what I'm doing, keep working the right way.

Again, I make quarterfinal already here, beating some really good guys. Tonight I was really close. Even though I lost 6-2 in the third, I think it could have been different, but I'm positive and happy with myself. I need to keep being patient and keep doing what I'm doing.

There is still a lot of tournaments before the end of the year. For me, it's kind of transition year, because I knew I didn't start the year full. I had a lot of trouble with my knee, so I didn't play the full year. So it's more kind of a year to really push myself to get the proper ranking at the end of the year, get a lot of match, and get fit to make a great preparation for next year.

Q. Two games in the first set, you fell behind 15-40, got out of both of those. Won those games. Were you doing anything different at those stages or playing your game, hoping for errors from him?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I think the match was some really good tennis and big miss also from both sides. I think playing two matches is never easy in the same day. For me, it was also the first match on center. I didn't practice on center.

So completely different court, also. Again, I was trying to be focused with myself, you know, what I'm doing the past months, weeks, trying to keep working on my game, trying to put intensity, trying to stay calm. It's tough.

Q. You've got a lot of fan love around here. How important is that in just helping you know that people really are happy to see you?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, for me, it's great for me, amazing. Especially I was out for a long period of time. I didn't play last year here. For me, it's great to be back, to play in the grandstand, to have a lot of support to see that they are happy to see me back, trying to push me, to cheer me. Sometimes I use them to get more energy like I did the two first match.

So, yeah, I'm really happy. That's one of the reasons why I keep playing tennis. It's to get those atmosphere, playing late on grandstand with packed stadium, with some fans, and you feel good on the court. You enjoy. You enjoy what you're doing, and you realize that all the tough months was worth it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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