ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2026

Stan Wawrinka

Press Conference

J. de JONG/S. Wawrinka

6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

(Applause.)

STAN WAWRINKA: Thank you. Thank you very much.

THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us about the atmosphere and the crowd support on Simonne Mathieu?

STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, it was amazing. More than what I could expect and what I could do enough, finishing with so much support, so much love from the people. It was exactly the reason why I kept playing for so long.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. The last few days we have been speaking to so many of the players about you, and pretty much everyone is fan-boying over you to a crazy extent. Wondering, for you, were you aware of the kind of impact you had on players who are 10 years younger, 15 years younger? Has any of it taken you by surprise, the amount of tributes you're getting this year?

STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, of course I'm always surprised to, like I said, to receive so much love, so much support from other players or from the fans or from tournaments in general, of course.

You know, I have been on tour for more than 20 years. For me, when I was young, my dream was to be tennis player, professional tennis player, to be in the top 100, to have the opportunity to play those tournaments. But I never expected to achieve so big in the tennis, but I never put any limit in my career. I always wanted more. I always walk out to get more, push myself, push my own limits, and try to find my own way to get there.

So I'm happy and proud of what I achieved all those years, of course. Today it was really tough. It's never easy to say good-bye to something you love so much and you dedicate all your life for it, so of course it was and it will be difficult to leave Roland Garros.

Q. Congratulations and profound thank you for the great achievement and contributions you've made to the world of sports and tennis. During your golden years, 2014, 2015, 2016, you were probably the most-feared player of the Great 4. In retrospect, do you think you were aware of creating tennis history at that time, or was it just the pure love for the game that kept you going from success to success?

STAN WAWRINKA: No, for me it was the pure love and pure passion and pure dream of myself to keep pushing myself. Like I said, for me, I never put as a goal to be No. 1 or to win slams. For me, my goal as a child, when I start playing, when I wanted to be doing tennis for my life, was to be top 100, to be able to play the Grand Slams, to be able to play the big tournaments.

But again, I have always been passionate about tennis, about the life on tour. When we are there, it's an amazing life, to travel the world, playing the biggest tournaments in the world and to have this opportunity to play in front of so many fans, so many people.

So, yeah, I never saw myself about thinking about so I'm trying to make history in tennis or trying to reach certain level or to break certain, yeah, to win slams and things like that. For me, it was always about myself, how can I be a better tennis player, how can I push myself, how can I push my own limits, how can I start to beat the Big 4? Because that was them that we needed to beat to win the biggest tournament.

Q. I think most people, when they think of you, particularly here, will think back to the match you played in the final against Novak and the level that you reached that day. Have you ever watched it back? And I just wonder what the feelings were like when you were producing tennis at that level to beat the dominant players of the era.

STAN WAWRINKA: I never watch it full, that's for sure. I watch some highlight, of course, to make myself happy about my tennis, my game (smiling). Sometimes I watch to think maybe I can do that again, but unfortunately, is not that easy.

You know, it doesn't matter which level you are and where you are in your career, but when you are into it, you need to live in the momentum, so you need to do the best you can into the momentum.

That time, for me, I wasn't thinking, oh, wow, amazing, I'm playing so well, or this is special and all. I was really into focusing on trying to beat the No. 1 at the time, the best player ever to play the sport in a Grand Slam final, in French Open, Roland Garros, something that I probably watch every single final before that. So it was special moment.

But in the same time, I knew, when I was playing and when I entered the court, that I had everything to beat him. I knew where was my level. I had the confidence in my brain, in my physical aspect, and my tennis game to achieve that.

Q. Because of that match in 2015, you know, and obviously you have won slams elsewhere, but has this felt like a home tournament for you? Is this one of the most emotional places you're going to have to say good-bye to this year?

STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, it's probably at the top, yes, of course. For many reason, not only because 2015, but, you know, that's the only junior tournament I play in also and I won.

I grew up watching Roland Garros. I'm from Switzerland, from the French part, and the dream that time of the year is to come back from school and to put France television and to watch all night, all day until late. And as a kid, I just enjoyed that so much.

So I was watching at the time Spanish Armada, they were amazing players. I grew up playing on clay. Until 2003 or 2004, I was playing only on clay tournament all year long, because I was also playing in Spain a lot. So of course, for me, French Open is always going to be completely different than the other tournaments.

Q. Congratulations for all your career. If you will have a son and you will have to tell him one phrase, saying I have been able to do this, what will you tell him? Will you regret that there was another Swiss who was doing something more than you before?

STAN WAWRINKA: First, I always did everything in my career to have zero regret, even if you can always find some small regret.

I think when I arrive on tour and Roger was there, for me I took that as a big opportunity, a real chance as a young player from Swiss, being able to share the court, the practice, to share knowledge, to learn from the best player. He was No. 1, he was already at the top, and then with the chance to play Davis Cup, to play Olympics, because of him I also have a gold medal at Olympics.

So if I look, the way I see things in general, I'm someone who is normally really positive, so I always look at the positive side of everything, and for me, it was amazing chance and opportunity to be able to arrive on tour and to spend 20 years with Roger there.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. The box was crammed, was full, almost. Now, Serge and Pierre were in your box today. How important was that? Can you tell me what happened between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.? What did you do during this hour?

STAN WAWRINKA: As I said, the French Open, Roland Garros, is something special. I knew it was the last time I would play here, so it was very important to try and share this with most of the people who have followed me during my career and who are still with me. I'm very happy that Serge and Pierre were present for this first match. It was important, yes, as I said, to share, and mainly here at the French Open.

And then what did I do from 5:00 to 6:00? Well, not much. I was in the locker rooms. I had a cold bath to relieve the pressure, and that's all.

Q. Do you know what you're going to do next year?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, there are a number of things I know I'm going to do, but I did it on purpose. You know, I decided to look at many options, because I'd like first to finish this year as best as I can. I want to focus on my tennis till the end of the year. I want to still live and think about tennis. If I want to keep the same level until the end of the year, it's important to me.

And then, when the year is over, I want to take some time to look back at these 25 years that is my career and to understand this chapter that is my life so far.

And then, to know what I want to do when I have a full day ahead of me, when I have many days to think about this, I need to perhaps take time before that.

Q. The last words you used, you said on the court, was for Gael. You played 20 years with him, and he was very kind when he talked about you at the beginning of the year. So compliments both ways frequently during both of your careers. Can you tell us why? What's this friendship due to, or when did it start? And do you remember in 2004 in the town of Lyon during the qualifying rounds, you were all very cute, you and he.

STAN WAWRINKA: Now that you're talking about this match, yeah, I remember it. That's a long while ago. Friendship, you don't need to explain friendship, do you? It's something natural, that comes naturally. His personality, my personality, we get on well together. With years passing by, we got to know one another. When we were not on the courts, we were talking about something else. We would see one another quite frequently.

Friendship is not something to be described. Gael is someone exceptional, and I think he's like me. He's honest. We don't need to play a role. We get on well, very well together. We were very happy for each other when he was winning, and even when we were playing together, there was never, well, you know, never any rivalry, is the word. And of course each of us wanted to have the best career we could have, but both of us were very happy when the other one was winning.

And the town of Lyon, yeah, well, that's a long, long time ago. I'll have to use my memory. But I remember that match on the court, yeah. I remember I was nervous. I remember his style, the way he was playing. To me, that was the beginning of our careers. Exceptional memories, I'd say.

Q. Stan, fascination, people, the youth, they are fascinated. Is it because you have this passion for sport? This is something that's always visible when you step on the court.

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, yeah. I hope so. This is what I try and give people. I do things 100%. I try and be honest. I want to be myself, to start with, and then with what I have experienced on the courts, I have always tried to share my emotions and feelings with the crowd, people, and the younger ones mainly.

I know what it's like when you start playing at the age of 8, you have a passion for the sport, and your dream is that maybe one day you'll play here at Roland Garros. When I see the young players and this new generation, smiles on their faces, they're so happy to be here, this is what I really love, these contacts.

Q. In English, you talked about this deep link that you have with the tournament. You have the same link with the French crowd. Have you always felt this connection with the French crowd? Because today, I had the impression, we had the impression you were French, given the atmosphere on the court. Is that something you have always felt? What are the reasons? How would you explain this?

STAN WAWRINKA: No, well, I'd say, when did that start? I would say even though I was always supported, I always had this good feeling with the crowd, between 2014, 2015, 2016, that is when there was this connection with the French crowd.

There was me but also the crowd, and both of us, we had to take time to understand each other, to understand me, who I was, and to support me that much. If you look at all these years, not just at Roland Garros, but the other tournaments in France, they were exceptional.

As you were saying, if I look at what's happening today and when I hear what the crowd is doing, trying to support me, encourage me, I feel at home, yes. That's all can I say.

It's a feeling that's exceptional, and therefore, at the age of 41, I made this effort to still play at 41, because these emotions are the truest ones. Those are the emotions I prefer as a tennis player. This is always what's motivated me.

Q. When we discussed with the other players, your statistics are impressive, but they also talk about your personality, your character. Is that something you're quite proud of, that is, you're recognized as an excellent tennis player but also as a person, as a personality?

STAN WAWRINKA: I wouldn't say I'm proud. I'm very happy, glad to hear these things. As I said earlier on, it's the way I am. I have always been honest with everybody. I'm a good person, I think, by and large. I have always tried to share with others, and I was lucky to play for 25 years as a tennis player.

I was so lucky because I have the passion for the sport, and I have always tried to send out, hive out this message, with passion, with work, with desire. You can attain a number of results you wouldn't have dreamt of when you were a kid.

To be a tennis player is something special, you see. We all know one another, we practice together, but we're all opponents, as well. So you have to find or understand the limits, I mean, in terms of the emotions that you can have with some blokes and friends and mates and other players, as well.

But I have always been someone who says that, okay, we're going to practice together, we're going to meet several times. The best thing is that we want things without rivalry. We don't want any hatred, either. We can play 25 years, getting on well with almost everybody.

Thank you very much.