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I Cried Before Playing Finals Against Novak Djokovic, Says Stan Wawrinka

Published 07/17/2020, 12:31 PM EDT

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Stan Wawrinka has been a very successful tennis player. He has won 16 titles, three of which are Grand Slams. One of those Grand Slam wins came at the 2016 US Open where Stan beat Novak Djokovic in the final. He has just revealed the details of what happened on the day of the final. Check out what he said.

Stan Wawrinka On The 2016 US Open

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At the 2016 US Open final, Stan Wawrinka was 31 years old. He had already won two Grand Slams and he felt that the 2016 US Open would be his last opportunity to win another one. In a recent interview with L’Illustre (which was translated using Google), he said,

“Yes. I was 31 years old, I thought it might be my last opportunity for a Grand Slam… We went to eat with my team, I isolated myself at the end of the table with my headphones, I did not want to be spoken to. After the meal, I joined the locker room. I went to the physio, I warmed up. And then, five minutes before entering the central office, I suddenly felt super bad, extremely nervous, I started to cry. Magnus came to speak to me and I pulled myself together.”

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This was clearly not good for Stan as it would have affected how he played the final. However, he still managed to win, which is why he was asked how he coped with the stress.

“I tried to profit a little but I still did not feel very well. In the first set, Novak led 4-1, breakpoint for him, it seems to me. I end up winning the game and there, I decided to tire myself physically to relieve my stress. I extend the duration of the exchanges, even if it means losing them.”

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Stan’s method of relieving his stress clearly worked for him as he ended up winning his third Grand Slam. He will now be looking to win another one and he will, hopefully, do it at this year’s US Open.

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Written by:

Rishi Karthikeyan

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