Stan Wawrinka told to 'stop now' by Roger Federer's coach after emotional speech
Stan Wawrinka faces an uncertain future in the sport he loves.
Kate Middleton plays tennis with Roger Federer at Wimbledon
Roger Federer's former coach Severin Luthi has joked that Stan Wawrinka should slow down and 'stop now' after proving he is still a force to be reckoned. At 38 years old, the World No 3 is gradually climbing up the world rankings again and was desperately close to clinching the Croatia Open title last week.
In the end, he was edged out by a man 15 years his junior, Australian Alexei Popyrin, over three sets. Wawrinka broke down in tears after the frustrating defeat and told fans he will 'hopefully' be back next year amid doubts over his future in the sport.
“I know it’s so stupid to cry, but I love this sport so much," Wawrinka said in his post-match interview on court. "You make it really special. Amazing week.
"Hopefully I can come back. Thank you for the support. Thank you for being here. Hopefully, I see you next year.”
A week prior to his deep run at the Croatia Open, Wawrinka and fellow countryman Dominic Stephan Stricker won the Swiss Open doubles tournament in Gstaad. Luthi, who knows a thing or two about getting the best out of ageing players, having guided Federer to an Australian Open title in 2018 at the age of 36, is enjoying Wawrinka's career resurgence and is preparing for more 'surprises' from the Swissman as he enters the latter stages of his career.
"Actually, he should stop now after his double title in Gstaad," he joked during an interview with Blick when asked what else is possible for Wawrinka to achieve in his career. "No, seriously, even during the time when Roger was still playing, I was asked again and again whether I was surprised by his successes.
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"Now it's exactly the same with Stan, I'm prepared for the surprise because I know how much work he puts into it. Stan lives for this sport, he is always energized, shows incredible passion. It is fascinating.
"If he stays healthy, I definitely believe he can win another title. Wherever. Can he win another Grand Slam tournament? That looks difficult. But here, too, I say, Stan should never be written off. He's proven time and time again what he's capable of. That's always an issue for us in the Davis Cup team."