Wawrinka and a very special reflection: "I love tennis, the passion for this sport is still there"

Carlos Navarro | 7 Apr 2025 | 17.16

Stan Wawrinka. Source: Getty

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Watching Stan Wawrinka on a tennis court is a gift today. It's hard to demand results from a guy who is already 40, especially when he admits that it is the passion for this sport (and not the big results) that keeps his motivation alive. Despite adopting this mindset, defeats like the one he suffered today in his debut at the ATP Masters 1000 Montecarlo 2025 against Alejandro Tabilo, after taking the lead and winning the first set, can be daggers to the heart. That's what many would think... but not Stan, who sees it as a spur to keep improving and getting closer to a higher level day by day. He demonstrated this in a press conference, where he dismissed retirement rumors and confirmed that there are still tricks up his sleeve.

- What keeps you competing and in the mix at 40?

"The passion for this sport. As an athlete, once you stop, there's no turning back, especially as you get older. I want to keep enjoying it as much as I can. I love tennis. Playing tennis is something that fulfills me. I've had the opportunity to play in the best tournaments around the world, and I want to push a bit more. I enjoy the process, I enjoy the training sessions, I enjoy playing the big tournaments, like this one, big matches. That's what keeps the flame alive."

- A tough loss in his debut against Tabilo but eager for this tour and to return to Roland Garros

"It's a rather tough loss. It's frustrating, I would say it's a frustrating loss, but the level is there. I'm lacking some things to close out these matches, but I still enjoy it. The atmosphere was fantastic, a lot of fight. I always enjoy being back on the clay tour. It's always special to play in Roland Garros, not only because I won it but because it's one of the best Grand Slams. It's the one I always watched when I was young, so it's a great feeling."

- At 40, how do you feel when getting out of bed? Is that passion still present? How do you now deal with defeats?

"At this moment, everything's fine, everything is okay. All the preparation we carry out, both tennis-wise and physically, allows me to be in the best possible shape. Some days are more challenging than others, but overall, I have no trouble getting up each morning. It's true that frustration increases with age, as you know you're nearing the end and that if you lose, you'll have fewer chances to go far in each tournament. It's more frustrating, yes."

- A curious question about whether you'll lose sensitivity in your backhand when you retire: Gasquet said he never will. And you?

"I've never questioned what will happen three years after I finish my career, whether I'll keep playing tennis or not. I imagine that, as the years go by, you play worse. In life, you can lose everything."

- A final reflection showing your competitiveness

"I want to be in the best tournaments and I want to face the best players. That's it. Any player. The frustration of losing a match like today's is always there, and I need to do what I have to do so that in future matches I can resolve these situations. As always happens in tennis, it's been the details that made the difference; perhaps I was somewhat relaxed at certain crucial moments, I should have played more aggressively, and I also made some errors, that made the difference."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Wawrinka y una reflexión muy especial: "Amo al tenis, la pasión por este deporte sigue ahí"

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