Between coughs and before a dozen television interviews, Stan Wawrinka took the time, after his English press conference, to answer a few questions in French. Defeated by Taylor Fritz (7-6 [5], 2-6, 6-4, 6-4) on Saturday in the third round of what was his final Australian Open, the 40-year-old Swiss player cherished the connection with the Melbourne crowd throughout the week and wants to approach the coming months with peace of mind.
The Sweetness of a Winning Backhand
“In the last game, you win a point where you hit five backhands. They’re getting heavier and heavier. And you finish with a winning backhand. Is that something you’ll miss a lot?”
“Yes, of course. It’s the feeling of knowing before you hit it that it’s going to go where I want it to go and finish as a winner. There’s nothing better in tennis. And today (Saturday), despite the defeat, despite the difficulty holding on physically, I took a lot of pleasure because it was, tennis-wise, my best match. I felt that, again, on the court, I was present. I knew what to do. I was playing well. There was power. There was everything I needed. And that’s what I’m constantly looking for – to find the confidence to play that kind of match against a player (Taylor Fritz) who is top 10 and complicated to play against. I know the match wasn’t far off, unfortunately, but I’m satisfied with what I was able to do.”
No Sadness, Just Gratitude
“There’s no sadness right now. There won’t be until the end of the year. I really believe that. Because, on the contrary, I’m happy to see that I’m still capable of playing well.”
A Beer with the Fans
Wawrinka’s post-match tradition of sharing a beer with the fans became a talking point. “The story came about because in the previous match (against Arthur Gea), a fan dropped his beer, simply. I know that here, they come to have fun. They come to enjoy themselves. I felt that everyone was talking about that moment. When I said I wanted a beer after the match, everyone kind of picked up on it, saying at least he’s enjoying himself. Of course, if there are beers in my fridge, it’s because I planned, win or lose, to be able to ‘cheers’ with the crowd.”
And was it a good beer? “It was a ginger beer. It was excellent (smile).”
Unwavering Fan Support
The level of support from the Melbourne crowd was overwhelming. “I didn’t expect to have so much support from the first round. I didn’t expect to have so many people pushing me and wanting me to push my limits, to stay here as long as possible. For me, it was exceptional. I’ve often had a lot of support, a lot of fans behind me, but the fact that this was my last Australian Open, that they knew it and so did I, gave a completely different atmosphere that I had never experienced. And I didn’t expect that at all. Anyway, I never expect anything. I always try to enjoy what’s there. It’s definitely part of the best memories of my career and my highest emotions.”
“I try to take the good side, take the enjoyment, take all the support I have, all this energy. That’s why I’ve played for 20 years, that’s why I’m still playing at 40.”
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
As Wawrinka prepares to say goodbye to many places in the coming months, he reflects on the emotions of knowing he’ll never play in Melbourne again. “The emotions were mixed on the court. Right away, there’s sadness, fatigue, joy too. All the pressure coming down too. And now, I’m very happy. I had a good tournament, that’s what I wanted. I was competitive, I pushed my limits, I won two matches. I couldn’t have dreamed better. I’m 40 years old, my body more or less held up. So it remains exceptional and better than I could have imagined. There’s no sadness right now. There won’t be until the end of the year. I really believe that. Because, on the contrary, I’m happy to see that I’m still capable of playing well. I’m happy to tell myself: ‘OK, I made the right decision to train to the max this winter to try to stay competitive.’ I made the right decision to tell myself: ‘this is my last one, I enjoy it, I love it.’ I hope to be able to continue a bit with a good level throughout the year. Because in the end, that’s what I love the most: playing on courts like here, with the crowd. And then trying to win if possible because that allows you to do more. That’s what I want to do this year. I try to take the good side, take the enjoyment, take all the support I have, all this energy. That’s why I’ve played for 20 years, that’s why I’m still playing at 40. But at some point, you have to close the book.”
