Wawrinka's passion endures on Athens' hard courts
At 40, the Swiss veteran rediscovers joy in tennis's grind, inspiring a new generation while eyeing a pivotal clash that tests both heart and strategy in the season's final push.
In the warm Mediterranean breeze sweeping Athens' outdoor hard courts, Stan Wawrinka rallies with the quiet intensity of a player who has chased majors across three decades. The 40-year-old three-time champion, still drawing crowds with his one-handed backhand flair, navigates the tour's late-season demands where every point echoes years of resilience. Fresh from an emotional social media reflection after the Swiss Indoors Basel, he embodies a fire that turns global travel into a canvas for passion, setting the stage for encounters that blend legacy with fresh ambition.
Loving the process fuels longevity
Wawrinka's mindset cuts through the psychological wear of endless flights and shifting surfaces, where hard courts like these demand precise adjustments to ball speed and bounce. He stresses that true endurance comes from embracing the journey, a philosophy that sharpens his tactical edge rather than letting age blunt it. This approach lets him vary his patterns, deploying crosscourt forehands to draw opponents wide before stepping inside for down-the-line winners, conserving energy amid the circuit's relentless tempo.
That inner drive sustains him as he competes at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship, where the atmosphere hums with anticipation for veteran comebacks. Young players grinding through qualifiers or junior draws find in his words a blueprint for avoiding burnout, transforming losses into lessons that build mental fortitude. The crowd's murmurs rise during his baseline exchanges, sensing how passion translates to poise under pressure.
“I think at the end the most important [thing] is loving what you do,” Wawrinka told ATPTour.com. “It’s enjoying the process, enjoying the road. [Being a] tennis player, it’s an amazing life. If you’re passionate about your sport, it’s so special to be able to travel the world to play tennis.”
Guiding Switzerland's next wave
A fresh cohort of Swiss talents rises through the PIF ATP Rankings, their paths illuminated by Wawrinka's storied career and the tactical wisdom he shares on tour. Leandro Riedi and Jerome Kym advanced to the fourth and third rounds at the US Open, respectively, thriving in the roar of Arthur Ashe Stadium with deep returns that countered aggressive serves. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Henry Bernet, who captured this year’s Australian Open boys’ singles title, now tests pro waters in Athens, facing veterans whose underspin approaches challenge his flat groundstrokes.
Wawrinka views their emergence with genuine thrill, the court becoming a bridge between eras where he mixes experience with youthful pace. These matchups force him to refine his one–two combinations, using slice backhands to disrupt rhythms and create openings for inside-out forehands. For the newcomers, shared practices yield insights into handling crowd energy and ranking volatility, fostering a national resurgence amid the tour's isolating demands.
He expresses delight in these intergenerational battles, noting how they invigorate the sport's landscape. The psychological lift for rising players is evident, as they absorb lessons in patience during extended crosscourt rallies, turning inspiration into on-court execution.
“For me it’s always amazing to see the new generation coming,” Wawrinka said. “I’m so happy also to have the chance to play with them and to play against them. It’s always special as a player to be able to play different generations. You always hope that more players will come — more young players will come — because that’s what you want to see.”
Clash stakes rise toward finals
As the Nitto ATP Finals draw near, Wawrinka's Wednesday duel against second seed Lorenzo Musetti crackles with year-end implications, the Italian needing the Athens title for the last qualification spot at the Nitto ATP Finals. After his first-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, where precise serve placements set up aggressive returns, the veteran anticipates a tactical chess match on these moderate-bounce hards. Musetti's fluid slices and drop shots will test Wawrinka's net rushes, demanding quick adaptations to keep points short and explosive.
The pressure etches focus into every stroke, with the crowd's building energy mirroring the sport's vibrant mix this year. Wawrinka highlights how Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz lead the rankings, yet Novak Djokovic pursues bold targets, weaving diverse styles into compelling narratives. As a tennis enthusiast himself, he shares fans' appreciation for this era's personalities, from power baseliners to creative artists, all heightened by global showdowns.
“There are different generations playing against each other,” Wawrinka said. “Of course you have Sinner and Alcaraz at the top of the rankings, but Novak is still there trying to keep achieving amazing goals, so it’s always special. You have so many different personalities, different players playing this game, so as a fan of tennis, you can only enjoy that.”
“He has a [big] challenge in front of him for getting there and it’s important for him of course,” Wawrinka added post-match. “It’s a big challenge [facing him]. He’s playing so well. I’ve watched him play many matches this year, so I’m looking forward to playing him and seeing where I am.” In this sunlit arena, the encounter promises to distill passion into action, where Wawrinka's enduring love could spark an upset and propel both toward season's triumphant close.
