Stan Wawrinka is aware of he’s a lot nearer to the tip of his profession than the start, however the Swiss is having fun with life as an expert tennis participant as a lot as ever.

The 37-year-old, who turns 38 later this month, is the oldest participant within the Prime 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Final August the Swiss was exterior the Prime 300, however he confirmed nice resilience to battle again.

After the 16-time tour-level titlist defeated twenty sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday to succeed in the third spherical of the BNP Paribas Open, ATPTour.com caught up with ‘Stan the Man’ about his love for tennis, why he nonetheless enjoys the method aged 37, the one match that stands out from his profession and extra.

You may see how a lot enjoyable you continue to have with the followers on courtroom and everybody exhibits how a lot they love watching you play. How cool is that so that you can expertise?
After all it’s all the time particular. That’s one of many essential the explanation why I maintain enjoying tennis. I get pleasure from what I’m doing. I’m captivated with it. The emotion that I get from the followers, from the individuals in every event, from the assist that I can get in matches, is all the time going to be particular. I wish to get pleasure from that as a lot as I can as a result of the day that I’ll cease there will likely be no return.

If you’re first beginning as a professional, gamers fear about outcomes and typically neglect to get pleasure from it and have enjoyable. To what extent do you’ve extra enjoyable now than if you began?
I feel I all the time loved it. I feel I’ve all the time been captivated with that. I by no means forgot why I began after I was younger. It was to play a recreation. [Swinging] a tennis racquet with balls in opposition to somebody, it’s the sport, it’s the game. Even when some days usually are not that simple, you all the time need to push your self. It’s a must to have nice self-discipline.

I like the work, I like the method to get there too, so I’m fortunate and completely happy that I get pleasure from what I’ve to do to be at my prime degree and in addition after I play matches, it doesn’t matter which courtroom, which massive stadium, small stadium. For me I all the time get pleasure from it and I all the time recognize the game.

You talked about the method. Numerous the time that’s the least enjoyable a part of your job. How can you proceed to get pleasure from doing the arduous work in any case these years?
I feel you could see it as the large image. The day you cease your sport there isn’t any return. There is no such thing as a means again, as a result of it’s unimaginable to cease after 30 after which attempt to come again. It’s virtually unimaginable, it’s so robust. After which it’s a must to see [what is] additionally robust [is] I’m getting actually outdated for my sport. [But] I’m nonetheless actually younger in my life.

After tennis, there are nonetheless so a few years to do different stuff, so all collectively, I wish to get pleasure from as a lot as attainable. It’s a privilege to be a tennis participant. It’s a privilege to be enjoying at that degree, to be enjoying within the largest tournaments on the planet. So long as I’m feeling aggressive with what I’m doing, that I really feel like I can beat the highest gamers, I’m having fun with that.

You talked about you’re nonetheless younger in life. However do you suppose there’ll ever be one thing once more like the sensation of profitable a detailed tennis match?
I feel all of us have completely different visions of what we’re doing. All of us have a unique means, that’s the great thing about tennis. There may be not one rule. The one rule is about arduous work and self-discipline, however the remainder there are numerous methods of being on the prime, some ways of profitable tournaments and being on the prime of your recreation. There are a lot of methods of practising, some ways of getting completely different approach and that’s the great thing about the game.

Work arduous and observe your desires, however always remember the place you got here from💫❤️!
1-young me dreaming of coming into the top100ATP💭🎾
2-old me coming into the top100ATP once more!I achieved far more than I may have dreamed of however it’s all the time gonna be particular🙏🏻#recognize #dedication #workhard pic.twitter.com/TleQL5lYdk

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) March 4, 2023

You made a pleasant publish if you returned to the Prime 100. How particular was that accomplishment to point out you’re nonetheless right here?
So long as I really feel aggressive, I wish to maintain going. However it’s additionally to remind individuals to not neglect the place you come from and what was your dream if you have been younger. It doesn’t matter if I gained three Grand Slams, if I achieved far more than I may dream of. It nonetheless must be particular. If you wish to maintain pushing your self after 30 and also you wish to nonetheless be captivated with that, issues need to be particular.

What was your largest dream if you have been younger?
My dream was to be an expert tennis participant, so at the moment [it] was to be Prime 100 on the planet.

All yr you’ve proven an excellent degree in opposition to a number of good gamers. Do you’re feeling that you’re proper there with them?
I really feel aggressive. I do know that after I enter the courtroom, more often than not I can beat my opponent. I’m not younger anymore. Issues are a bit tougher additionally to maintain going back-to-back-to-back days, to push via a event. However I nonetheless consider that I can win tournaments. I don’t know which degree of event, however in fact I wish to win a trophy earlier than stopping.

You continue to have the pictures you can go and hit no matter shot you need. How does it really feel to bodily nonetheless have the flexibility to play the tennis you need?
It’s why I maintain practising, why I maintain pushing myself. I do know what talents I’ve. I do know all of the work that’s put in that I’ve to do to be at that degree. After all it’s nice and I’m proud of it, however I wish to maintain pushing for extra.

When you can choose one match wherein you had essentially the most stunning feelings of any, which wouldn’t it be and why?
It’s robust to say, however I’d most likely choose the French Open last in opposition to Novak Djokovic. It’s robust to select one as a result of I’ve had so many. I’m fortunate I’ve many massive reminiscences, however the French Open has all the time been particular. In France, profitable the title after profitable in juniors is one thing actually particular.