17 months have passed since Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka last played a match in a Masters 1000 tournament.
Troubled by a left foot injury that required two minor surgeries, the former world No.3 has been sidelined from the Tour. As a result Wawrinka has tumbled down the rankings to 233rd in the world but will be hoping to regain momentum during what will be a vital clay season for him. He will return to action in Monte Carlo which was where he won his first and so far only Masters title back in 2014. To put that into perspective, the three-time major champion has participated in the main draw of 110 Masters events.
“I spend a lot of time here at the club to prepare myself, to practice. I do a lot of my preparations here. The weather is ideal. The conditions are perfect,” Wawrinka said of the Monte Carlo Country club.
“I won this tournament in 2014 and it’s a pleasure to be back here. It’s one of the most beautiful tournaments for the players and also for the crowd.”
Testing the waters, 37-year-old Wawrinka began his latest comeback on the Challenger Tour by playing in the Marbella Open. An event which also featured Dominic Thiem who is also on the return from injury. There was no fairytale return with Wawrinka being knocked out in the first round by Sweden’s Elias Ymer.
“Of course I’m far from being as fit as I want to,” he admits. “I need to work a lot physically and tennis-wise too. But this happens with tournaments, with matches, but I also am happy to be at that level right now compared to when I started playing again.”
Outside of the Big Three, Wawrinka has been one of the most prominent names in the world of men’s tennis over the past decade. Known as a player who thrives on the big courts, he has scored five wins over world No.1 players in Grand Slam events. In total he has won 16 Tour titles and at one stage was undefeated in 11 straight finals.
The question is how much longer can the player known as ‘Stan the man’ continue playing for? Some of those who grew up on the Tour alongside him have already retired from the game, including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who will play his last match at the French Open.
“I set deadlines to know how much time it would take before I feel really good, so I thought by the summer, if I’m not able to be at the level I want to be, I will have to accept that,” Wawrinka said of his future in the sport.
“But I don’t know what I’m going to do. Sometimes players continue playing even if they lose the first or second round. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“I have been thinking about that (retirement) for many years already. We (Wawrinka’s generation of players) know we are towards the end of our career. Of course we all need to know how far we want to push,” he added.
In Monte Carlo Wawrinka will play Alexander Bublik in the first round on Monday.