TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 28th of January 2015. S.Wawrinka d. K.Nishikori 6-3, 6-4, 7-6. An interview with Stan Wawrinka
Q. After everything that happened in the tiebreak, how happy were you to see his dropshot hit the net?
STAN WAWRINKA: That one I was really happy because I was not going to get to that ball. Yeah, I had the wind with me, so it was not easy to make a dropshot, especially at that moment. No, it was a crazy tiebreak, but good tiebreak. Good to finish in three sets.
Q. You were serving very good with a lot of variety. Was that your plan?
STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, for sure today I was serving really well. I’m happy with that part of my game. It’s never easy to break Kei because he’s playing so well. You need to be focused on what you need to do. You need to change the speed. You need to change where you serve also. Yeah, I think it was one of my best match if I look about that.
Q. You’re 6-0 in the tiebreak. Why are you so good at it?
STAN WAWRINKA: It’s just the beginning of the season. We’ll see at the end of the year. Two days ago I was lucky. I was down 6-2, I won the tiebreak with some luck. Today I was 6-1 up, but I start on the side with the wind, so that helps me a lot. He start with serve-volley. When he come back from 6-1 to 6- All, he was playing good, aggressive. I was a little bit hesitating. I didn’t put first serve. It’s never easy when you have so many match point to focus after. But 6-All I had the wind again. I was trying to be aggressive. Lucky that he missed the dropshot. Happy to make an ace after.
Q. Do you have the belief you can win this thing?
STAN WAWRINKA: I’m just happy to be back in the semifinal so far. Was important match for me today to play Nishikori. It’s never easy. Had to be ready for that. Had to fight with myself to stay with him, to play really aggressive, to stay on my line, not give him the opportunity to put me in a defensive play. I’m happy that I did that really well today. I think was a great match in general.
Q. Do you feel you’re starting to play at the level that brought you the title last year?
STAN WAWRINKA: No, I think I play better. But I think we all improve every year. I’m more aggressive. I’m more confidence with my game when I come to the net. Again, it’s a Grand Slam. You play every two days. Today was a great level, was a great match. Now I’m going to enjoy a little bit, watch who’s going to win tonight and get ready for the semifinal.
Q. Except the match against Garcia-López, you played an unbelievable week. It’s something about the preparation? Why are you so good in Australia?
STAN WAWRINKA: Why not? Why not? No, I think I got a lot of confidence from first winning the Davis Cup at the end of the year. I think since Shanghai I’m playing great tennis. I’m focused on what I’m doing every day. I’m trying to practice really hard, trying to improve my game. I had a really good Masters in London, playing one of my best tournaments indoor, losing semifinal against Roger. Then I had the important Davis Cup final. It was important mentally to get there, to play well. That’s what I did. I had a short pre-season. But I’m trying to work hard. I’m trying to improve my game. I have the chance to have a great team around me with Magnus Norman, Pierre Paganini who are really behind me trying to push me every day. I got a lot of confidence by winning Chennai, the first tournament. My game is there and I’m happy to play here in Melbourne, to have a chance to play the semifinal again.
Q. Do you feel any pressure as the returning champ or the pressure is on someone like Novak?
STAN WAWRINKA: As I said before the tournament, I don’t feel pressure by defending the title because I don’t come here to defend it. I come here as a new challenge, a new Grand Slam. That’s how I start the tournament. I’m really happy to be already in the semifinal, to play that well so far. As I say, I’m going to enjoy it because it was really important for me, this match, especially the way I deal with the pressure to play Nishikori. It’s never easy for me, for my game. So I’m going to enjoy, watch the match tonight and get ready for the semifinal.
