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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2019

Stan Wawrinka

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

M. RAONIC/S. Wawrinka

6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How good do you think the level was you were able to play in the first two matches? Is it frustrating that it happened so fast?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, for sure it's frustrating to lose to guys, especially in a match with four tiebreaker. I think the level today was quite good. I'm happy if I look the big picture. I'm happy with my level, the way I was moving, the way I'm playing in general.

I think he also played really well. For sure, when it's that tight, the match can change for one, two points. I miss few little points that could have changed the match.

But he played better in general. I think, yeah, it's tough to lose second round. It's frustrating to lose early here, as I want to go deeper, I want to win more matches.

Again, if I take some distance, see a little bit everything I've done the last few months to get at that level, I'm quite happy. I'm looking forward for the rest of the year.

Q. I spoke with Carlos Moya earlier this afternoon, who said he thinks there's a group of players with a different idea for the future of the game in terms of Chris Kermode's future. Your email came out last night. Do you agree with Carlos, do you think there's a group of players that are taking the direction of the game in potentially the wrong way? Do you have anything to say to those players that you haven't said in the email?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think I've been talking to a lot of players recently. I think they all see that right now is quite going the right direction with Chris Kermode. There is a lot of support about him in general. I think they talk about it a lot. There is maybe a few, little group of player that want to change completely. I don't think is the best idea for the tennis.

But now we need to see what's going to happen in the next few weeks, months.

Q. Will you do anything to further your agenda, pushing internally to rally support or will you leave it now?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think it's quite clear how and who decide about it. Now I think if you been to few press conference, you can see who is -- quite a lot of player are supporting what's now in the tennis, and hopefully it can keep and stay here, Chris.

Q. It's obviously not a good situation if there's a majority of players who think Chris is doing a good job, then the players council is not listening to the players themselves.
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I think we need to see. If you talk about it, that's mean you saw a little bit what happen. I think there is a lot of people who didn't realize this was happening, and now, like, I will say that more player getting involved to know exactly what's going to happen, what's not going to happen, what's the best. Everybody is starting now to talk a little bit more about it.

Q. Rafa was one of those players who said he had not been consulted. Do you find that particularly worrying that they're not reaching out to the most experienced guys on the tour? Rafa and Roger said they're quite keen to call Novak and talk to him about it. Will you try to be doing the same thing?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, no, for sure I was surprised that Rafa didn't know about it. That show the situation, how difficult it is right now. But, again, as I say now, there's a lot of thing that came out in the press. Now everybody's talking about it. The players are meeting here.

I think it's going to go in the right direction, at least for all the player to talk and to have some ideas.

Q. Having to leave the tournament, does that make you nervous that things will happen when you're not at the tournament? Now that you're going home, does it make you nervous that things discussions and things can be changing here on the ground in Melbourne without a lot of players and discussions still happening with a small group? Also, separately, Justin Gimelstob is facing criminal charges in the U.S. Are you comfortable with his continuing role, given those circumstances?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think the next big meeting is going to be around Indian Wells anyway. That's where it all going to happen. At the end of the day, that's why there's a board and a council. It's for them to decide what's happening.

About Justin, as long as, like all the other players said, he's not guilty, so as long as he doesn't get to the courts yet, it's tough to say something.

Q. When you look back at where you were last year physically, what you went through to get back to this point, how far do you think you've come in that time?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I think it's completely -- it's been a long way to get back. Again, as I said, today I'm sad and frustrated, but in general if I take some distance with it, I'm happy to see that I'm able to play again with this level, able to move that well. I've been practicing really well. The off-season was great.

Again, I need to be patient in general for the result. I know if I keep doing the things I'm doing day by day that I will get some big result, and I will come back in the ranking.

In general, I'm really happy. I have to keep pushing and keep doing the right things. The season is long, 11 months. There is a lot of tennis to be played. Hopefully I will achieve some things.

Q. You're very good friends with Novak.
STAN WAWRINKA: I'm friends with everybody (smiling).

Q. Especially Novak, you've known him for a long time. When he was talking in press, he was saying he always gets the blame for this kind of thing. Do you think that's fair?
STAN WAWRINKA: Always get what?

Q. The blame, singled out as the person who is trying to push everything. Is that correct? Is it fair?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I think he's also the president of the council. He's the No. 1 player. He's the best player into this council. So for sure, if you look, he's at the head of the spot there.

But again, I think there's for sure a lot of talk going on. I'm pretty sure nothing happen here, so that's mean there is also some stuff that are putting on stand, and that's everybody can think about it. We will see. I think we can only see what's going to happen in the next few months.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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