Stan Wawrinka has a three year plan
Currently, the three-time major champ Stan Wawrinka wants to play smaller tournaments instead of the US Open. In the long term, however, he still has some plans.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Aug 10, 2020, 01:00 pm
In 2016 it was when "Stan the Man" performed really well in New York, overcame all the pain and in the final Novak Djokovic beat for Grand Slam title number 3. Even today he has an impressive 3-0 record in the finals of the very big tournaments - after the victories at the Australian Open 2014 and the French Open 2015.
In 2020 Wawrinka will certainly not win in New York - due to lack of participation. Instead, he wants to start on the Challenger Tour. "Under these circumstances, I did not want to travel to America," Wawrinka justified his waiver to the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA . The key words: coronavirus, the terrifying numbers in the USA, the much-quoted "bubble" and other open questions .
Instead, Wawrinka is concentrating on the local sand, with two smaller events in Prague on the program. A faint sign of saying goodbye to professional tennis? No. "Of course I'm near the end of my career, but I'm still planning for the long term, with a three-year plan," said the 34-year-old, who would still be active in 2022 with 37 years. Which, keyword Roger Federer , could be quite realistic.
Wawrinka: "I didn't miss tennis"
Wawrinka used the corona break "to completely get out of tennis" and to spend time with his daughter. "I didn't miss tennis," he said. On the other hand, there was no thought of stopping it entirely, "not for a moment." He didn't miss tennis "because there weren't any competitions. I still play because of the emotions, the stress, the joy, the spectators."
It will be exciting to see whether Wawrinka can already play for the title in Prague (from August 17th). Because the world number 19 has match practice. none collected. He had no desire to participate in the exhibition fights held in many places.