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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 29, 2020

Stan Wawrinka

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. ZVEREV/S. Wawrinka

1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Another fast start today. What happened after the first set?
STAN WAWRINKA: Not much happen (smiling).

No, yeah, I start really well. He was a little bit nervous at the beginning. I could feel he was not playing freely. I was playing really aggressive, moving well, putting a lot of pressure all the time, every shot.

In the second I start to think a little bit more of what to do. I was not moving as well on the court to take ball early when I needed. I start to do few mistake. I put him back on the match.

Q. Did you feel like the crowd was getting behind you there, especially towards the end? Why do you think that might have been?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, yeah, the crowd was great. It's always special to play on this court. I love to come back here every year. It's not only Rod Laver Arena, but every other court. There's always a lot of people, a lot of support. I really enjoy.

Q. Were you dealing with particularly anything physical that was bothering you? How much of an effect was having had to play a couple of five-set matches coming into today?
STAN WAWRINKA: I think after one set and a half, for sure, I was going a bit down physically. Also lack of energy.

But was playing well, was serving big. I think I could have made better the second and the third set. I was a bit between on my game. Yeah, I think he play well. That's it.

Q. He was serving very well. With the first serve, you were under 60%. Do you think that is one of the reasons why you couldn't perform better?
STAN WAWRINKA: It's for sure one of the reason. But I think the first set also was low percentage, really low percentage for serve, and I was still playing well from the baseline. For sure it didn't help me at all.

In the end, if I look third set and fourth set, yeah, I was struggling to really push myself. It was not enough.

Q. Were you at all surprised by how well Zverev was serving? He's had some problems with his serve before this tournament.
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I wasn't surprise. I know how well he can play. For sure he had some trouble with his serve before this tournament, not during the tournament. Also last year a bit.

The two time I played him, he was serving unbelievable, and I had some trouble to break him. I know how well he can serve. Today he was putting a lot of pressure with his serve.

Q. Would you say the problems you had, particularly on the backhand side, were a result of not having the best movement, putting yourself in the best position?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, for sure. The fact that I wasn't moving my best after a set didn't help me, especially against a player so solid like him. When he serve like that, you always feel under pressure in the rally.

Again, as I say, in general I'm happy with the tournament. I had a really difficult first week. I had to fight a lot to still be here.

I think the tournament was great. I'm happy to make quarter again, happy to see the level I have, the way I'm playing. It's positive for the rest of the year.

Q. Which tournaments are you going to play after this?
STAN WAWRINKA: I supposed to play Montpellier, Rotterdam, Acapulco, and Indian Wells.

Q. A lot of Australians love you here. Do you expect to come back next year? Have you thought about when you will end your career?
STAN WAWRINKA: I hope I will come back next year. The year, it's just the beginning. It's long. But, yeah, I'm positive I will come back next year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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