"I started to cry before facing Novak Djokovic", says Grand Slam champion

Stan Wawrinka is considered as one of the greatest players of his generation. He has won a total of 16 ATP Titles in his singles career, including three Grand Slam tournaments and the Masters 1000 of Monte Carlo 2014. In a recent interview with French magazine L'Illustre, 'Stanimal' recalled being extremely nervous at the start of the 2016 US Open final against Novak Djokovic. "Yes, I did. I was 31, I thought it might be my last opportunity for a Grand Slam. The practice before the final went wrong. There was a lot of wind, I was tense and in a bad mood" - Stan Wawrinka explained. "Five minutes before entering the central office, I suddenly felt really bad, extremely nervous. I started to cry. I even had to go throw up a bit. Magnus (his coach) came to speak to me and I pulled myself together just before finding Novak Djokovic in the hall for the pre-match interview," Wawrinka recalled. "I still was not feeling very good. In the first set, Novak Djokovic led 4-1, break point for him. I end up winning the game and there, I decide to tire myself physically to relieve my stress. I extend the duration of the exchanges, even if it means losing them. I start to run from right to left, and little by little I feel that fatigue prevails over the mind, which forces me to focus on physical and tennis. It was gone. I didn't know at the time if I was going to win the match, but I knew I would fight to the end. And I won," Wawrinka added. Source: tennisworldusa

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