‘IT’S WHY I KEEP PLAYING’
Swiss veteran Wawrinka rolls back years in French Open marathon win
Pariszlfrancel‘l” ormermchampion Stanmwawrinkamshruggedmoffmhis inmyearsmtomreachmthem”rench Openmsecondmroundmonmmondayb winningmamfivecsetmmarathon againstmwlbertmramoscvinolas whichmstretchedmtomfourmhoursmand ikmminutesmandmsaidpm“it’smwhymi keepmplaying”d
Wawrinkabmrankedmnominmthe worldbmcamemthroughmmclmvmekwb lcjbmlcmmvhemwbmgclbmlcjmandmwill nextmfacemwustralia’smworldmnumc bermgfnmthanasimkokkinakismafter winningmammatchmatmrolandm’arc rosmformthemfirstmtimemsincemhfhfd
Playingmoutmonmthemsemic sunkenmyourtmgjmarenabmthemswiss veteranmfiredmmlmwinnersmand committedmmomunforcedmerrorsmin anmallcoutmattackingmperformance whichmbroughtmbackmmemoriesmof hismhfgkmtitlemtriumphminmparisd
“It’smonemofmthembigmreasons whymimkeepmplayingmismtomrelive thosememotionsb”msaidmwawrinkad
“Imthinkmitmwasmspecialmtoday againmtombemherebmamlotmofmsupportb amlotmofmfansmheredmitmhelpedmmema lotmtomstayminmthemmatchmandmto keepmfightingmformitd
“Imalwaysmtrymtommakemitmspecialb trymtomhavemamconnectionmwithmthe peoplebmwithmthemfansbmbecausemas Imsaybmit’smonemofmthemmainmreasons whymimkeepmplayingmandmimwantmto enjoymitmasmmuchmasmpossibled”
Withmgjctimemchampionmrafael Nadalmsidelinedmfrommthemtournac mentmformthemfirstmtimemsince hffjmthroughminjurybmwawrinka ismonemofmonlymtwomchampionsmin themdrawmcmthemothermismnovak zjokovicbmthemtitlemwinnerminmhfgl andmhfhgd
“Imwonmheremmanymyearsmagobma longmtimemagodmimwasmmuch youngermandmplayingmdifferent tennisb”msaidmwawrinkadm“xutmit’s alwaysmgoingmtombemspecialmtombe backmheremandmalwaysmhavemthat memorymaboutmhfgkd”
Wawrinkabmamthreectimemmajor winnerbmhasmbeenmbattlingmamseries ofmkneeminjuriesminmrecentmyearsd
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Howeverbmhemwasmdefeatedmin themfirstmroundmatmthem”rench Openmandmthenmatmwimbledonb themusmopenmandmthismyear’smwusc tralianmopend
Wawrinkamandmkokkinakisbma playermwhomhasmwagedmhismown injurymbattlesminmrecentmyearsb havemnevermmetd
“Whenmhe’smhealthybmlikemhe’s beenmthismyearbmhe’smalwaysmamdanc gerousmplayerb”msaidmwawrinkad