ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 11, 2022

Stan Wawrinka

Press Conference

A. BUBLIK/S. Wawrinka

3-6, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, Stan. Did you see any improvement from the Marbella challenger today?

STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, it was a way better match. I think the body's getting much better. I'm still far away from where I want to be, but I think I'm the right direction. I think today was a positive match.

It was a tough loss, of course, but I'm happy with the way I was playing today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I have two questions. Did you feel today as if you needed to win that match in straight sets physically and sort of emotionally? What's the hardest part to come back? Is it more mental or is it more physical?

STAN WAWRINKA: I think it's a bit of everything. Right now I knew coming here that I'm not physically and tennis-wise ready. I wanted to play a few matches with the challenger two weeks ago. Now we are practicing with the top guys to get my level a bit better.

But I knew and I didn't expect to play already the way I want to play, so I knew it would be difficult. As I say, I think it was much better than what I was expecting today. I was playing better, feeling better on the court of course physically, tennis-wise, and also I spent a lot of mental energy to focus, to stay there as it was tough at the end, but again, I'm happy with what I have done today.

Q. Roland Garros has just announced that they will play a super-tiebreaker at 6-All, and all four majors for the first time will be aligned with that. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on that? Is there one tiebreaker in your career that still stands out as a highlight for you?

STAN WAWRINKA: Not that I have in mind now. No, I saw the news they are all going to be the same, I think. What I liked before was that they were all different ending and that was quite good. I enjoyed that.

I think it's impossible to find one thing that everybody will like it. I think to be all the same now, it's not my favorite things, but it is what it is and we don't have choice.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Can you tell us how you analyze that match? There was that break in the first set, and after that, you were on the edge during the second set. What could you do against a player like him?

STAN WAWRINKA: He doesn't give you any rhythm. We know that will happen when you play him. I believe he became a lot more solid in his game and in his way of being. It might be unpredictable but there is a sort of guideline to it.

I'm happy with what I did in that match. I think it's very positive. It's a lot better than I ever thought I could do today. Of course I'm aware that I'm not ready physically, mentally, tennistically. I didn't play a lot of tennis at all before I'm here.

So I am trying to catch up because I had the goal to come back to competition maybe too quickly, but it was important mentally to know I was going to play two tournaments, Marbella, here, to be able to practice with the best players, to play against them, and to find the emotions that I missed so much.

But I'm aware, as I said, that I need a lot more practice, and I need to work hard on my tennis and my physical condition.

Q. Did you ever think you could win that match?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, you always think you can win. I was not far from winning it. In the second set I really had opportunities and I really could have won it.

This is how it is. It would have been great to win it so I would have been able to play a second match, but I know what I have to do now in the following weeks.

Q. Bublik said you deserved to win that match, and in three months you would beat him 6-3, 6-3.

STAN WAWRINKA: I don't know if it's going to be 6-3, 6-3, because we might be on another surface like grass in three months, but of course in three months I will be in a different shape.

It was a good match. I'm happy I played the way I played, and I know what I have to work on now.

Q. (Off mic.)

STAN WAWRINKA: I'm going to discuss with my team about what I'm going to do in the following weeks. What I need is to have a program that allows me when I get to the next tournament to feel that I'm ready, so I will take the time I need, and when I will be ready, I will play another tournament.

Q. Are you going to have a break now?

STAN WAWRINKA: Anyway, I hadn't scheduled to play any tournaments after Monte-Carlo anyway. It's not so important to know how much time I have before the next tournament.

Q. You said you missed the emotions. What did you feel when you stepped on the court and when the crowd cheered? You told yourself, This is why I do this?

STAN WAWRINKA: Exactly. That's what it is. I did this rehabilitation during more than a year just to be able to step onto courts like this one, to be in a tournament like this with the crowd, with the atmosphere, the emotions, and the thrill that you can feel with the stress also.

All this is the reason why I'm playing, and it was very enjoyable today.

Q. Were you surprised what you did during one set and a half today?

STAN WAWRINKA: As I said, I had good practice the last weeks, and I know I can play good tennis. Today was better than what I did in Marbella. For example, the way I managed the match was better. I'm happy. It was positive to play a match again, to play here.

But now it's part of the past, and I have to move on to the next stage.

Q. A technical question about the French Open. Are you going to use your protected ranking or ask for a wildcard?

STAN WAWRINKA: I will ask for a wildcard. That's what I do for every tournament, because I only have nine protected rankings I can use and I want to keep them.

But I'm sure I will, in the end, have to use my protected ranking because the wildcards will have to go to other players.