TENNIS Internazionali d’Italia – T. Haas d. S. Wawrinka 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. An interview with Stanislas Wawrinka.
Q: What was your impression of the match?
STANISLAS WAWRINKA: I block my back two days ago in the first match and was tough to move well. Nothing serious, just need 2 days off, I wanted to try because you’re never know but what was not easy to put all the energy in my game. I try and struggle to take the first set, but at the end it was tough to move and put intensity.
Q: It’s just a strain or something else?
STANISLAS WAWRINKA: Just block, I know my back, sometimes it happens, nothing serious just painful I need some rest, few days and will see. I am not worry about that and that’s why I wanted to play today. I even had chances to win it, he played a little better, he was more aggressive in the 2nd and in the 3rd and that’s it.
Q: You haven’t played Haas for 6 or 8 years, have you seen something that you didn’t expect from him?
STANISLAS WAWRINKA: Nothing special, I know his game more or less. He’s a very good player: he like to play on the net, comes to the net, good touch and likes to hit the ball earlier. We all know how he’s playing, he has been there for a while, he is a really good player.
Q: Do you think there’s anything he did different at the breakdown in the 2nd set or your level just dropped?
STANISLAS WAWRINKA: I don’t think he has changed his game, maybe he was serving a little bit better. For me there was more for myself: when I can’t put intensity or can’t be aggressive and play my game especially on the clay court I know happen to be beaten. He won the match, I am going back home, rest few days and get ready for Paris.
Q: Jim Courier was the last player 20 years ago to win both Australian Open and the French in the same year. Why do you think is so difficult, even in this era, for the players to win both of them?
STANISLAS WAWRINKA: I am not focused on winning the French Open, it’s so far away and there are so many players ready to win. I know if I am ready, feeling good and my level is there to win a lot of matches but I don’t expect to win the French Open. There’s Rafa, you have Novak, Roger it’s going to be ready and fit. I need to focus on myself, on the draw, and to be ready for the French. I am excited about that but I am not focused to win the French.
