Stan Wawrinka After Loss: “I Need To Put The Puzzle Back Together” [Video]

These things happen,loosing in the 1st round is disspointing but Stan isnt the 1st and he wont be the last either,its how you bounce back,Rafa won the USO last year after loosing in the opening round at Wimbledon,so i would say rest up,get plenty of practice and be ready for Wimbledon,best of luck Stan,BTW is he playing Halle or Queens?

May 26th, 2014 at 5:29 pm

1 – path clears for Nadal
2 – If Fed reaches the Semis, he will be no 3, If he looses in the semis, he will be 5 points ahead of Wawa.

Wawa – Current points :5830
– 360 (QF from 2013 FO)
+ 10 ( 1st round 2014 FO)
= 5480
Fed – current points: 5125
-360 ( QF from 2013 FO)
+ 720 (SF from 2014 FO)
= 5485

May 26th, 2014 at 5:39 pm

I remember the one and only time I had the opportunity to beat a chess international master in a serious game, he was in a zeitnot, with 30 seconds to make 14 moves. I had 45 mn on my clock and an overwhelming position. I got so excited that I couldn’t think, and I managed to lose a pawn and ruin completely my position. I lost on time after that a completely drawish ending.

There’s nothing “to put back together”. When a player can handle the situation only when he has nothing to lose — and only then plays freely — after ten years on the tour, he won’t learned it ever.

In those cases, a good serve helps. But not on clay, unfortunately, where there are almost no easy points.

It is interesting to compare the game of the two last GS winners not member of the ARRN exclusive club: Del Po and Stan.

They are both power players with a penchant for middle fast courts, able to hit through any defense when they’re on. They both play great against the “big four”, “big three”, “big two” whatsoever; they are both very vulnerable to changes [of rhythm, pace, tactics, spin…]. I thought for a long time that DelPo was a very stable player, until I analyzed his results — a lot of surprise loses.

I think that it will be Stan’s case too: some flashy victories, a lot of suprise eliminations, exceptional winners from both sides when he hasn’t anything to lose.

Anyway, I was certain that with his draw he would have time to adjust and go deep in the tournament. I hesitated a second when I saw that he was playing GGL in the first round, who was in great shape a month ago, and plays very, very well lately. But, like I wrote, it was just a second.

May 26th, 2014 at 5:45 pm

yes ma4, he is a puzzle. And now Andy’s should sail to the semis…

May 26th, 2014 at 6:26 pm

I had a brain cramp and chose Bellucci to win against Fognini and go deep in that quarter (I must have thought about Monica, not Thomaz). But I was still under the impression he made on me two or three years ago, when he played very well.

May 26th, 2014 at 6:30 pm

`yes ma4, he is a puzzle. And now Andy’s should sail to the semis…`

Which is good. Very good If Rome was anything to go by.
If it does happen, I expect it to go to 15-5 in favour of Rafa.
But not without some kind of dramatic outcome and eureka moment for Andy.

May 26th, 2014 at 6:59 pm

Proves that it’s easier to knock off the big 4 than become a member of the big 4 (or 5). Shame, though. Stan doing well here would have added more intrigue. (Plus his early loss screwed up my draw!!!)

May 26th, 2014 at 8:02 pm

RZ, great line. Really sums it up.
I admit, after the Masters performance I was a believer. After all, Stan’s AO win didn’t come out of nowhere. He’d been rising in the rankings and challenging the top players more and more through 2013.
This loss is a stunner.
Another reminder what freaks Roger Rafa and Novak are. How good do Fed’s finals streak and semifinals streak look now?

May 26th, 2014 at 8:15 pm

Stan is the real deal. He won a Slam, and went through quality opponets to get there. What he doesn’t have, like the top 3, and especially Fed, is consistency at the high level. Until he learns that, prepares for it, amd gets motivated by it, he’ll continue to get bounced out of tourrneys here and there.

May 26th, 2014 at 9:16 pm

Vamos Berdych!

May 26th, 2014 at 11:32 pm

@CDP: “I expect it to go to 15-5 in favour of Rafa.”
Sure, Rafa is the favorite.

Still on Rafa Thiem (pun intended!), the latter posted on FB:
“Being allowed to play against him in Paris is a mega honour for a young player like me. Nadal ist the best player who ever played here in Roland Garros. So I will give my best in each single rally and look what happens. And what ever will happen, I am sure I will learn very very much.”
Hope he doesn’t get overawed…

May 26th, 2014 at 11:43 pm

It is a topsy turvy year for Stan and the irony is that this is the year where he has made significant breakthroughts both at the major as well as Master series tournament. However, apart from winning both Australian and Monte Carlo, his performance has been quite mediocre and lacklustre exposing his lack of consistency. Losing in initial rounds often would never justify the No.3 ranking which he is conferred with today. I hope he turns it around and make amends.

May 27th, 2014 at 12:32 am

When Beefy Boy’s on, he’s terrific but was always vulnerable to pressure. Norman is obviously a brilliant coach but not a miracle worker. And it must be a lot more difficult “transforming” a 29 year old, rather than a 19 year old.
@RZ
Yes, gr8 line!

May 27th, 2014 at 1:17 am

RZ and Margot. about Wawa. 👍.

He is now not Stan the man but Stan the on off. How things are changed so fast for him. Argh!

May 27th, 2014 at 4:20 am

I am surprised nobody is talking about Ferrer. he’s got to be very motivated having to defend 1200 points here and (finally) a win over Nadal on clay. He’s going to be tough…..

May 27th, 2014 at 4:34 am

In fact, it is what Federer was talking about: nothing happens in one week, one match. Stan Wawrinka is here for good. His problems are well known (he doesn’t always move well, can be very negative and self destructive on the court, he is vulnerable to imaginative, pace destructive play), but his qualities are obvious too. We just expected too much of him — the unreal regularity shown by the others.

Just to notice: although we are all generals after the battle, at “Advanced baseline” they predicted that Wawa AND Kei could both be eliminated right away, since they met very good players in the first round, especially Klizan, who is very underestimated on clay.

http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2014/5/25/5747832/2014-french-open-preview-men-rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic

May 27th, 2014 at 5:46 am

Skeezer @ 9:16……. a very fair assessment of Stan if I may say so.

May 27th, 2014 at 7:08 am

I agree that Stan will make more noise later in the year. He’s having a hard time dealing with pressure and high expectations, and we saw that earlier this year in Davis Cup.

May 27th, 2014 at 10:58 am

I am surprised nobody is talking about Ferrer. he’s got to be very motivated having to defend 1200 points here and (finally) a win over Nadal on clay. He’s going to be tough

Hahhaa! Ferrer’s path ends in qf.

May 27th, 2014 at 7:47 pm