Standing tall in the era of the ‘Big Three’ and clinching the Grand Slam titles on three occasions during his 22-year-long career, Stan Wawrinka is unforgettable. The Swiss legend turns 39 next month, but he’s still running as smoothly as ever. Although his compatriot Roger Federer hung up his racket in September 2022, Wawrinka still remembers the days when the Swiss Maestro made him feel uncomfortable on the court.

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka have faced each other a total of 26 times. Having debuted 4 years after the 20x Grand Slam champ, Wawrinka could only beat Federer thrice in his career. Together, the duo went on to represent their nation on several occasions in the Davis Cup. They even won a gold medal at the doubles event in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. But that didn’t mean one of the Big Three didn’t intimidate Wawrinka.

Stan Wawrinka calls Roger Federer a ‘fast player’

Stan Wawrinka, much like the rest of us, was in tears after the announcement of Roger Federer’s retirement. Recalling that incident, he said, “I cried for Roger (Federer). It was hard, a strong feeling. Even talking about it is difficult. When I came on the tour, he was already there. He was like a big brother to me, a friend.” But he also spoke about Federer making him clumsy with a racket in his hand.

The 38-year-old Swiss tennis recently gave an interview with Ole, where he spoke about an uncomfortable moment relating to Federer. “Roger is a fast player, who makes you feel uncomfortable on the court.” (translated using Google Translate)

Of course, things are easier now that Stan Wawrinka doesn’t have to face Federer on a regular basis across the net. His recent victory at the Argentina Open, the first of the year, was certainly far from disagreeable. He defeated local boy Pedro Cachin in the first round of the tournament by 6-7(4),6-1,6-2 at the clay court in Buenos Aires on Monday night.

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In his playing days with his compatriot, the two shared a brotherly relationship despite the gaps in their victories over each other.

‘I was his sparring partner’- Wawrinka on his relationship with Federer

Earlier, Wawrinka reflected on his relationship with his former teammate, “I was his sparring partner.” He spoke about his interactions with Roger Federer during his initial days, “I can guarantee that I was very, very nervous, he was not yet number one in the world. But he was already at the top. He was already great and I was super tight.“

The Swiss star further added, “Roger represents so many things. He’s a good friend. He was like a big brother in tennis, I learned from him. I had many hard defeats against him. We had many great victories together. Therefore, it’s a very important part of my career. I’m grateful for that.“

Although Stan Wawrinka is nearing the end days of his career, he still has the fire in him to clinch another title in Buenos Aires. What do you think of his comments on Federer?

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