“I am Close From the End”: Stan Wawrinka Opens up on Retirement Plans

Former World No.3 Stan Wawrinka hints his retirement from professional tennis will be soon as he knows ‘he is close from the end’. However, the Swiss do not intend to hang up his racquet until he comes back to the top of the game.

Wawrinka is happy to be at the Australian Open 2020 and is feeling lucky to still play tennis. The 34-year-old is also not worried about his retirement as he does not focus on the future and the past.

Stan Wawrinka: “I do think about retiring”

“I feel like I am lucky to still play tennis, to be at this level, to travel the world and see so many places and I want to enjoy the maximum until it is done. I am soon to be 35 so for sure I am closer to the end.”

The 3-time Grand Slam champion revealed he does think about retiring without being worried about it. He explained that he wants to be at the top level and win tournaments. “I need to be fully focused on the moment and cannot think too much about the past and about the future,” he added.

“I know I am close from the end and it will happen but before that, I will give it everything I still have. It doesn’t scare me. I know it is going to be difficult because I love what I am doing but one day you have to stop,” Wawrinka concluded.

Wawrinka at Australian Open 2020

The Swiss star will commence his Australian Open 2020 campaign against World No.92 Damir Dzumhur on Tuesday. Wawrinka has a 38-13 win-loss record at the Australian Open since his debut in 2006 in Melbourne. The 2014 champion has also reached two semi-finals. However, he hasn’t been able to get past the second round at the tournament in the past two editions.

Last year, Wawrinka saw a defeat in the second round against Milos Raonic. The World No.15 will aim to improve his results this year and hope to enter the top 10 in the ATP rankings.