‘It Doesn’t Exist’ – Stan Wawrinka Talks About Playing With Pain After His Recent Match Against Dominic Thiem

Three-time Grand Slam champion, Stan Wawrinka has been away from tennis for a while now. Last year, he underwent foot surgery twice, and he is hoping to make a successful comeback. Recently, the Swiss player played a practice match against Dominic Thiem in Marbella, where he beat the Austrian. In a recent interview, Stan opened up about his injury and his comeback on the tour ahead of his return in Marbella.

Stan Wawrinka talks about his physical condition 

On 28th March, Wawrinka celebrated his 37th birthday with a win over Dominic Thiem in a practice match at Marbella. Earlier, he received great news, as he got a wild card to play at the Marbella challenger. In an interview with Le Matin, he talked about his comeback and current physical fitness.

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“I see that I still have in me what it takes to be able, in the future – if things go well in the other areas (physical and tennis) – to hang on to the best and win matches. I’m not where I want to be in terms of fitness yet, but my body allows me to push 3-4 hour training days. There with Thiem, it was two hours of high intensity and the level is there,” the Swiss player said. (Google Translate)

“Now, we will have to do it in matches, repeat it day after day. This is the goal for the next few weeks. See how the foot reacts in competition, as emotions cause the body to behave differently. He tenses more. My foot is doing well overall. Zero pain? It doesn’t exist, especially at my age. But I can chain the days without these pains that wear mentally,” Wawrinka further said.

Wawrinka will play at the Marbella Challenger today 

Today, Stan will start his comeback on the tour at the ATP Challenger event in Marbella against Swedish player, Elias Ymer. Incidentally, this tournament is on red clay, as Wawrinka already announced his intention to play the French Open in May. The practice win over Thiem will definitely give him more confidence as he eyes a return to the tour.

Meanwhile, Thiem will also feature at the Marbella Challenger, as he’s also making a comeback following a wrist injury.

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Wawrinka last played on the tour in March last year, losing to Lloyd Harris in Doha. The Swiss prefers playing on clay and he should be looking forward to getting better with each passing day in the lead-up to the French Open. He certainly can draw inspiration from Rafael Nadal’s monumental Australian Open triumph that he achieved earlier this year despite being sidelined for over five months last season. Can Wawrinka play at a high level at age of 37? Let us know in the comments.