ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2023

Stan Wawrinka

Press Conference

T. KOKKINAKIS/S. Wawrinka

3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. What dominates: Deception or delusion or pride and pleasure?

STAN WAWRINKA: A bit of both. But as I said, it's to live these emotions that I continue playing. So I can only be happy with what happened on the court despite being disappointed by the loss and by why I lost.

It depends a lot on what I do, and I like this self-confidence which helps me winning these matches.

But of course if I take the big picture, there is a lot of pride of fighting until the end and the great pleasure of playing with such an atmosphere, with the crowd, living so many emotions, despite the 4 hours and 30 fight, and the importance of the match and being able to live this, it's always a pure pleasure.

Q. We saw you during the match in connection with the audience, with children, even a selfie, a lot of things. We're not used to seeing you like this. But this communion with the audience, is it something you want to offer yourself at the end of your career? How do you feel about that?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, over the last years, I'm feeling much more the support from the crowd, especially in France. I'd rather say the fact of playing smaller courts helps having more direct contact.

I have always been very relaxed with the fact of talking and watching what is happening, I have always been able to look at the crowd while staying focused on the match. I always wanted to see what is happening in the crowd. Although just talking with youth or watching youth doesn't affect my focus.

When there's such a support and atmosphere, personally it helps me and it's a positive for me to have such a support. That's why I want to give them a bit of what I can from the court.

Q. To build upon the question regarding the audience, over the last three participations you have been beaten by Roger and two French players. It's not the ideal situation to be supported, but you have had fans in the finals of 2015, the crowd was supporting you. Do you have the memory of being encouraged like a French player? How much are you touched by this?

STAN WAWRINKA: I repeat, it's very touching for me, and that's why I continue. It's to live these moments.

But what I have received, well, it's difficult to say. I've always found a lot of support in France, even more over the last years for many reasons. I have received more support over the last years, but since 2015 I've always been welcomed.

But playing on Court 14 or Simonne-Mathieu, people know I'm 38 years old and it's the end of my career. I think they are trying to enjoy to the fullest, and they're happy to see me. So we enjoy together.

The end of the match was incredible in terms of atmosphere. It was like a Davis Cup atmosphere. This gives a lot of emotions, of course. So it helps accepting the loss. It helps moving on and overcoming these losses.

But I have to keep that aside for the next steps.

Q. Two very long matches, more than 4 hours and 30 each time where you fight until the end. You're competitive. What do you take away from these two matches? Do you know your body now?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I take away disappointment, but also an evolution with respect to last months. There is a bit of frustration with respect to my short moments of doubt during the matches.

The positive aspect is that I know that tennistically and physically I'm much better than over the last months. I see that I still have a true potential to win big matches and big victories in a tournament.

So I have to find this self-confidence which has always helped me in being able to win the match and to try to crush the opponent.

Q. These five-set matches that last a long time, what does it change for you with respect to the other tournaments that are Grand Slam tournaments? How do you manage these long and tiring matches?

STAN WAWRINKA: We train throughout the year for that. We know that Grand Slams have always been the ultimate objective in the season, so it's not a big issue for me. On the contrary, I like it. It's the beauty of Grand Slam, having best-of-five matches. You have the time to recover. You see the emotions of the audience. Like yesterday we had Gael who did an incredible match.

We had a lot of five-setters that gave great emotions to the audience, and they don't find that in other tournaments.

Q. One of the objectives, or your objective is to play here, the Olympic Games in 2024. This means that we will see you next year at Roland Garros?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, if everything goes well, yes. Since I came back from my injury, I didn't just come back to play one year and say good-bye. Otherwise I would have announced it to make a proper farewell.

But again, in 12 months, many things can happen, so as of today, I'm very positive with respect of what I can still accomplish and do. But I'll need to continue working, practicing. I really want to go up in the ranking, win more matches.

But I'm 38 years old, so we will see next year. If everything goes well and I feel I'm still competitive, I will be there.

Q. Have you already prepared your schedule for this summer? Will you give priority to a surface over another?

STAN WAWRINKA: There are a lot of surfaces. Between grass, clay, and hard courts, I think I'll play on all surfaces, I hope.

Q. We are used to a very high level when you play very well. How can you overcome these doubts? Because you know how you can play. So how can you overcome these doubts?

STAN WAWRINKA: A lot of hard work, as I have always done throughout my career. By training harder, by being harsher on myself, by making more sacrifices, by putting in more discipline, by working in my head every day.

I always took a lot of time in my career to do things, but unfortunately I'm not able to find this fast. At 38 years of age, it takes even more time. But I know that I'm coming closer to that. I'm sure that I'm going to succeed.

Q. When you led 6-3, 4-2, if I'm not mistaken, when did it start going wrong? Why did you doubt?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I got broken at 4-3 with new balls and the break went fast. I missed three forehands in the top of the net and they could have gone in. When he broke back, he didn't break back because I blocked. He broke back because I missed three forehands at the top of the net which they could have gone in.

But from that point onwards I let him play. He found energy again. I slowed down. My balls were a bit less powerful. He dictated the game with his forehand. It made the difference. We see all the matches, the number of five-setters, four-setters that are very tight. Few players have a lot of margin in tennis today.

It's true that I see it, like against Ramos, when I'm hesitating, when I play less-heavy balls, they are excellent players, they are very dangerous and I give them that time to impose their tennis.

Q. When you say you're lacking confidence, we see on this match you're leading, you're one set up, the break, you have a beautiful tiebreak in the fourth set. Do you think about 4-0 and Gael Monfils would make this run yesterday? What is this lack of confidence? What are you hesitating on?

STAN WAWRINKA: The problem with experience is that we know exactly all the possible patterns, the impact 15-Love can have, the impact Love-15 can have, and when you start thinking too much about all this, you're one instant late with respect to the decisions you have to make.

Once you're hesitating in the game and in the choices, it's too late. Either it's a bad choice or we give time to the opponent.

For me, I'm thinking too much about the impact of one point, one game, one match and all which surrounds it. I'm thinking too much, and I have to be able to filter that and to clean that.

Q. (Off mic.)

STAN WAWRINKA: No, it's always been the case, but this is why I was able to win the three Grand Slams and to climb up to that level, is because I'm always looking for more and very harsh on myself, so there is always positives and negatives in all this.

Today I have more difficulty because I know that tennistically and physically I'm playing well. I want to come back, and sometimes I might be focusing too much on that instead of just playing each point, playing tennis and enjoying.