TENNIS WIMBLEDON 2014 – 24th of June. S. Wawrinka d. J. Sousa 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. An interview with Stan Wawrinka
Q. The first match you’ve won here in a couple of years. Were you pleased with how things went out there?
STAN WAWRINKA: Tell me again.
Q. It’s been a while since you’ve won a match here.
STAN WAWRINKA: Okay, yeah.
No, yeah, I’m really happy. Today was a good match. It’s never easy first round in a Grand Slam. But I was quite focused, serving well, and confident with my game.
I’ve been practicing well since two weeks now, since before Queen’s now already. So it’s a perfect start.
Q. Over the years what is the biggest difficulty coming into Wimbledon? What is it about the tournament, the surface perhaps, that you found difficult to adapt to?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, it’s a quicker surface, for sure. It’s a surface if you not completely confident and relaxed with your game, you have some problem.
That’s why I had problem in the past. In the first round you can be a little bit tight, a little bit nervous. On that surface, it’s really tough to get through.
That’s the difference. You have to be ready from the first match. You cannot really play between. It’s really tough. You have to play your best game when you play some good player on grass.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge for you after your long climb to get where you are now and winning a Grand Slam in Australia in terms of believing that’s where you belong and it wasn’t just a run?
STAN WAWRINKA: You know, the ranking doesn’t lie. If I’m there, it’s because I deserve to be there. I know that my level is there. It was not easy since Australian Open, but I still won a Masters 1000. I’m still there. I still think that I can make some big result in big tournament. I’m confident with that. I just need to do it again. When, I don’t know. But I’m sure I will have some.
Q. Over the last nine years only you and del Potro have broken through to win a major other than the big four. What is your sense of how the big four has ruled all these years and how long that will last?
STAN WAWRINKA: Well, it’s just amazing to see the big four winning everything since many years. It was not only about winning, it was about being in semifinal on every tournament. So it was tough to get through.
They are better player than us, that’s for sure. That’s not the question.
How long it will last? We don’t know. We don’t know. You can see that since one year, Djokovic and Nadal are still there, still winning everything. Roger is coming back strong this year. You have to see Andy after his back surgery, it takes time to come back, but he’s there.
It’s going to be interesting, like you can see the French Open, Gulbis in the semifinal. You have some new names there, but the winner is still the big four so far.
Q. Regarding the early loss you had in Paris, do you feel less pressure coming here or more pressure?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, the pressure is always there. Doesn’t matter. My loss in Paris didn’t change that about the pressure.
It’s a different tournament. I had time to think about that. I had time to get ready for here. I think I’m well. I’m happy to be here. I’m playing good tennis.
I know that I can make some damage here, but I need to be focused for the next one. We’ll see. Take it easy. Take it match after match and we will see where it will end. Q. After the French, what did you do? Did you switch off for a while? Did you go back to Switzerland and forget about tennis?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I was home in Switzerland, take some day off with my family. I was still watching the French Open but took some time for me.
Then I start to practice again. You know, the season never stop, especially between French Open and grass court season. You don’t have time, so you have to be ready. I decided to come early and play Queen’s this year, so it’s been okay.
