|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ROLAND GARROSMay 23, 2014Stan WawrinkaPARIS, FRANCE THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please. You come into that Grand Slam as a Grand Slam champion. How has had a changed coming into this tournament. STAN WAWRINKA: More press to do (smiling). But, no, it's been great so far. You know, it's more about my game. I'm really happy with the way I'm playing. I'm really confident for the tournament. I had good preparation, and I'm excited to play, to start the tournament. I'm ready now, so we'll see when I'm going to play. Q. Just wondering how the back is feeling and physically how are you coming into this tournament? STAN WAWRINKA: The back is good. I had two days off with treatment and arrive Wednesday here, first practice here Wednesday. I'm 100% fit. I'm really happy I'm playing good. Physically I'm ready, and mentally also, so that's why I'm happy and I'm excited to start. Q. The title in Monte‑Carlo, how big was that in terms of your confidence for clay, specifically, coming into here? STAN WAWRINKA: It was really big. Not only for clay but in general, you know, after winning Grand Slam it was important for me to win a Masters 1000. It was something really difficult, but I did it in Monaco, first tournament on clay against Roger, so it was even more special. But for sure the confidence, that's something big for me, to know that I can beat the top guys even on Masters 1000, on clay courts. And now I'm ready for here. We'll see. I had two quick loss in Madrid and Rome, but I'm okay. I was playing good tennis. I'm happy the way I'm playing in practice, and I know for me that's the most important. THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. I like Stanislas. STAN WAWRINKA: Well, you can call me Stanislas. Q. Why did you ask ATP to change your first name? Why should we say Stan and not Stanislas? STAN WAWRINKA: Because everybody calls me Stan apart from you, and‑‑ no, kidding. It's just to simplify everything on the draw, my name during the press reference. That's the only reason. Of course I'm STAN WAWRINKA. That's all right. Andy did it, as well. It's to simplify the whole thing. That's all. Nothing important. Q. Well, you know, in terms of quick math, people say you're the favorite here in Paris. How would you feel about this, to be the favorite? STAN WAWRINKA: Well, it's going on well, I must say. I have repeated this here and again. I'm one of the favorites. I understand this, by the way. But I'm far behind Rafa and Novak. They are really above the other players. You know, when they are really on the courts they are difficult to fight against. But I have played well. I won the Masters 1000 and a Grand Slam. I'm playing good tennis. I can win against all players. But the way I look at this Grand Slam is not different. You know, I'm not looking where I am on the draw. It's the first match, the first round, that counts. Who I'm going to play against, that's how it starts, how you get started in the tournament. Q. Your first round is against Guillermo Garcia‑Lopez. Could you tell us more about him? What about this match, according to you? STAN WAWRINKA: Well, he plays well, you know. I played against him several times in the past. Well, we have seen himsince the beginning of the clay season. His results were good in Monaco, and I think the week before he won a title. And I think, you know, it's a very good first round for me because I will be able to see where I stand, where I am, because he's a good player, you see. You have to play well to defeat him. You have to play an excellent match. I think it's going to be interesting. Q. Apart from this Grand Slam title, which changes the whole deal, what's the main difference between STAN WAWRINKA last year here in Paris and this year in terms of your tennis, in terms of your physical preparation? STAN WAWRINKA: Well, I play better at a high level. My confidence mainly, it's different. I know that whoever I'm going to play against, I can defeat them all. It depends very much on me. Then, you know, at the end of the day, it's small details that make the biggest differences in terms of rankings and results. Q. Do you think you have become a model for all the outsiders on the tournament? Maybe you're going to give other players some ideas about it. STAN WAWRINKA: A model? Well, no. For sure no. But maybe I have given them ideas, that's true. But, you know, it's not because I have won this Grand Slam that the others will do the same. You know, it's not by watching people play or win that you're going to win yourself. And yet I have shown that things are possible. It's possible, yet it's very difficult. It's tough and complicated to go for it and fight against the best. Q. Was it easy with these two losses in the last two tournaments? What about the days after Rome, the first few days after Rome? STAN WAWRINKA: Well, no problem, you see, no big deal. I know why I lost these two matches, as I said, and also in Madrid. It was the first round. The other player played well, and I was not really there playing a good match. It might happen, you see, but no problem as far as I'm concerned. During practice I play well. I do my best during the match. I fight hard. In Rome I was playing a very good tennis style before my back hurt. It might happen. You have to do with it. Then I took a good rest and I practiced for the French Open and I practiced a lot this morning and well this morning. So I think I'm ready at a high level for this Open. Q. Do you think that in 2014 Roland Garros might be your year? STAN WAWRINKA: Well, we're not yet there. We're not there. But I'm not thinking in these terms, you know, to me. Q. (Off microphone.) STAN WAWRINKA: No. Q. Are you not thinking about winning the trophies? STAN WAWRINKA: No. Q. You won the Australian Open, the Grand Slam. Would you look at this tournament differently psychologically, I mean? Because now, you know, people look at you differently on the courts or also off the courts. STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, I look at this Open differently. I had to adapt after Australia. When I'm here now, I know that I can go far. I have done that before. So the way I look at it is quite different. Mentally speaking I have more confidence. Mentally I know what it takes, what I have to do to be ready. The way I start the tournament has not really changed. You know, I'm not looking at the draw too much because I know how difficult it is to last two weeks and to play five‑set matches. So many things can happen. And there is also the conditions, the weather, and you have to be ready from the first match. Apart from the general aspect of the tournament, that is, I know I can have a good draw and go far and deep, but each match is a new challenge and you have to take them as they come. Q. You are not saying you're a favorite. How come? Is it because you feel there is too much pressure on your shoulders? Is it because you're hiding away? STAN WAWRINKA: (Smiling) Well, it's reality, you know. You know, what I said is very clear. That is the favorites, there is Nadal and Djokovic. They are far above the rest. You can tell me what you want. It's always going to be the case. When they're on the courts, nobody else can beat them. You know, I'll be with Rog just afterwards, just after them. I'm one of the favorites, but I wouldn't said I'm the top favorite. I'm so far from Nadal, so far from Djokovic. As I always say, these players are outstanding, they're exceptional. But the difference is if I were to play against them, I know that when I'm on the courts I can defeat them. It's not because they are well above where I stand that I'm going to lose against them. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|