Wawrinka Says ‘Not Stopping Yet' After Early French Open Exit
Former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka made a first-round exit from Roland Garros on Monday but said he is still enjoying his tennis even if defeats are getting tougher to accept in the twilight of his stellar career.
The Swiss, who won the Roland Garros title in 2015, has had to endure a string of early losses on the elite ATP Tour as well as the Challenger Tour this year but said he knew exactly where he stood after falling 7-6(6) 6-3 6-2 to Briton Jacob Fearnley.
'I'm in front of you after losing the first round of the French Open. I'm of course close to the end. I'm not stopping right now, that's for sure. I'm getting closer each week,' Wawrinka, who received a wild card to play, told reporters.
'In general, I think I'm still playing some good tennis. I still move well. I still enjoy. All those losses are getting more difficult to swallow. It's always about the balance with the sacrifice you're doing on one side to be at that level. You need to have some wins in the other side. So far I'm not getting too many wins. Not enough,' he said.
'But yeah, we'll see. Just finished the French Open, so we'll see what's going to come in the next few weeks.'
Wawrinka later told reporters in French that he may not return to Roland Garros next year. 'If I don't win a few matches, if my results don't get my ranking higher, then I will not come back whether as a wild card or anything else,' the three-times Grand Slam champion added.
'As for the next few weeks, well, the clay season is coming to an end. I did everything I could to try to keep a really good level of play. I'm satisfied with what I'm still able to do physically and technically.
'You need to have results, because I'm a competitor. Even if I enjoy and am passionate, I play to win.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Titleholder Swiatek to face No. 1 Sabalenka in semis after 26th straight win at Roland-Garros
PARIS: Four-time champion Iga Swiatek's 26th successive win at Roland-Garros set up a French Open semifinal clash against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday. Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 to extend her impressive run. The consecutive wins record on the Parisian red clay is Chris Evert's 29. Having been searching for her best form in recent months, Swiatek, who struggled in the previous round, was in total control in the opening set. She was made to work harder by her 13th-seeded Ukrainian rival in the second set, dropping her serve in the fourth game after hitting two straight unforced errors into the net. But Swiatek broke back immediately and took advantage of Svitolina's poor service game to break again with a thunderous forehand return and move up 6-5. Swiatek sealed the win with a final ace. Swiatek dropped outside the top four before the French Open and has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland-Garros last year. Sabalenka wins Sabalenka defeated Zheng Qinwen in straight sets to reach the semifinals for the second time. Chasing her first title at Roland-Garros, Sabalenka overcame a shaky start and windy conditions to prevail 7-6 (3), 6-3 and extend her record against the Olympic champion to 7-1. The score did not fully reflect the closeness of the quarterfinal, though, with so little separating the rivals. But Sabalenka demonstrated why she was No. 1, making the difference on big points, while Zheng struggled with her serve in tense moments. Sabalenka will try to reach her sixth Grand Slam final, and first at Roland-Garros.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Novak Djokovic has been blemishless at the French Open so far, but real test begins with quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev
Despite the carnival of emotions that Novak Djokovic has been through in recent weeks, his form at the French Open has been faultless. The 24-time Major winner was rolled out to bid farewell to Rafael Nadal in a ceremony at the start of last week, and recorded a message for the departing Richard Gasquet as well. He has hired and fired former rival-cum-friend Andy Murray as his coach. He has dealt with a serious thigh injury that halted the momentum he had garnered in reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open. He toiled, for nearly a year, to win his 100th career title, which he finally grasped in Geneva last week, just before Roland Garros. To sum up, the Serb has won everything there is to win in the sport, is saying goodbyes to his former rivals in tearful farewells, and dealing with the inevitable toll that age is taking on his already-worn-down 38-year-old body. Excuse him if the task of winning a fourth title on the unforgiving clay of Roland Garros may feel out of reach, not even part of his remaining ambitions. But to give up on Djokovic's chances at a Major, when history is on the line, is to underestimate the most unconventional of tennis champions, as has often happened in the career of men's tennis' greatest-ever player. This time around, over four matches, 12 sets have been won by controlling the controllables, limiting errors, and fine-tuning his game. Also, no grimaces have been pointed to gutsy rivals or chattering crowds. 'I feel good, I expect each day to play better and better. I've played 12 really good, solid sets so far and everything is looking good,' Djokovic said after sidestepping Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 to reach a record 19th quarterfinal, the most a male player has managed at Roland Garros. With a 100th win at the French Open, he also became only the second player (behind Nadal's 112) to cross the triple-figure mark at the clay Slam. A month ago, the Serb was winless in three matches, with two first-round losses in Masters 1000 events on clay. The buzz around him had been minimal, some had claimed he need not even be considered a contender in Paris. But 10 days into the tournament and Alexander Zverev, the third seed and last year's runner-up, is certain he does not arrive into Wednesday's quarterfinal as the favourite. 'The guy won 24 Grand Slams. He's never going to be a (dark) horse. He definitely knows how to play tennis,' Zverev was quoted as saying by AP. 'He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches. There is no doubt about that.' Hitting form at the right time by winning matches first in Geneva and then taking advantage of weaker opposition in the first four rounds, Djokovic has found his feet on clay. But the real test will begin now, with the Serb having to potentially face the three best players in the world if he is to leave the French capital with a record-extending 25th Major. If the next hurdle is crossed, World No.1 Jannik Sinner, who has won 30 of his last 31 matches and is on an 18-match winning streak at Majors, may lie in wait in the semifinal. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz may be the opposition in the final. It was Zverev who took advantage of Djokovic's injury in Melbourne earlier this year, their semifinal only lasting a set before the Serb was forced to retire. But against the 28-year-old German, he holds the edge in head-to-head contests, leading 8-5. Zverev's big-hitting game, aided by a dominant and accurate first serve, finds the right counter with Djokovic's elite returning and his ability to take Zverev's strong backhand head on in crosscourt exchanges. Where Djokovic has been particularly good in this tournament so far is in sticking tight to the baseline and taking the ball early, which may not bode well for Zverev's rather one-dimensional baseline power game. But despite all strengths and weaknesses laid out, Zverev represents a significant level up in challenge for Djokovic, against whom his genuine title credentials will be put to the test. Predictably, he remains in contention, but Wednesday's highly-anticipated quarterfinal will show to what extent, especially with the high bar set by Sinner and Alcaraz. Not quite king versus regicide yet, but an enthralling contest can be expected nonetheless.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
French Open: Iga Swiatek sets up blockbuster semi-final clash vs Aryna Sabalenka
Defending champion Iga Swiatek extended her Roland Garros dominance on Tuesday with a commanding 6-1, 7-5 win over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina to reach her fourth consecutive semi-final in Paris. In doing so, the Polish fifth seed stretched her remarkable winning streak at the French Open to 26 matches - matching Serena Williams' record for the longest unbeaten run in a single women's Grand Slam event this already a three-time champion at Roland Garros, needed just 1 hour and 41 minutes to notch her fourth win in five career meetings against Svitolina, who was bidding to reach her fourth Grand Slam semifinal. The World No. 1 throne has bounced only between two names since April 2022 - and now, Paris will host the latest chapter in their evolving Thursday, Swiatek will face top seed Aryna Sabalenka in a high-stakes semifinal between the WTA's two most dominant forces of the past two years. Combined, they've ruled the No. 1 spot for 166 weeks - with Swiatek clocking 125 of those at the summit, and Sabalenka enjoying her 41st week atop the rankings. French Open Day 10 Live UpdatesWhile Swiatek holds a commanding 8-4 edge in their head-to-head record, and leads 5-1 on clay, the Belarusian did score a decisive 6-3, 6-3 win in their most recent encounter on the hard courts of Cincinnati last year. Thursday's meeting will mark their first clash at Roland Garros - a fitting battleground for two players who have helped define this era in women's win also marked another milestone: her 100th WTA-level win on clay, achieved in just 114 matches. In the Open Era, only legends like Monica Seles, Margaret Court, and Chris Evert reached that milestone in fewer despite the statistics and the records, the 23-year-old remains grounded - and dangerous. She entered Paris with her lowest seeding at the event since her breakout in 2020 and survived a massive scare against Elena Rybakina in the fourth round. But against Svitolina, she showcased her signature mix of controlled aggression, relentless movement, and strategic precision."I had to raise my level, especially in the second set," Swiatek said after the match. "Elina is such a fighter. I'm happy I found my rhythm when it mattered most."Trending Reel
