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By Blair Henley / Saturday, January 11, 2014
Stanislas Wawrinka and Lleyton Hewitt both arrived at the
Australian Open with a 2014 tournament win under their
belt. They sat down with Tennis Now at a promotional event
for their mutual sponsor, Yonex.
Photo Credit: AFP
MELBOURNE, Australia — Stanislas Wawrinka,
Ana Ivanovic and Lleyton Hewitt have two
things in common coming into the Australian Open. They have all
won tournaments in 2014 – and they all play with Yonex tennis racquets. Not a bad start to
the year for a Japanese company fighting to compete with
racquet giants Babolat,
Wilson and Head.
All three stars were on hand Friday night in Melbourne to
celebrate the launch of Yonex’s new VCORE Tour racquet, which
Wawrinka has used – with impressive results – since the start
of the season. Both the Swiss and Ivanovic have switched frames
in the last several months, and they spoke candidly about
making changes to such a key piece of equipment.
READ: Tennis Now Magazine – Australian Open
Preview
“It’s not really easy for us to change racquets,” Wawrinka
said, “but I thought it was a good moment to change. I’m
feeling good so far with the racquet. I won my first tournament
in Chennai. It gives me more spin, so I’m really happy so
far.”
Ivanovic says she knows instantaneously if a new frame is right
for her. “For me, once I try a new racquet in my hand and
I hit a few balls, I feel it straight away or I don’t. With
this racquet I changed within two or three days. I called Japan
and said can you make more for me? I changed straight away. I
just had to be careful for the first week not to smash them
[laughing].”
Hewitt arrived at the Yonex reception behind schedule, having
spent his afternoon beating Andy Murray 7-6,
7-6 in an exhibition at Kooyong. He has used Yonex throughout
his entire career.
“Yonex has been such a big part of my time on tour,” Hewitt
said. “I first started using Yonex when I had just turned 17.
It just felt right for me in my hands since I picked it up.
Over the years, I’ve had a massive input with the guys in Japan
making the racquets…trying to adjust certain things to keep up
and keep improving.”
After answering questions about their affinity for all things
Yonex, all three players spent some time with Tennis
Now. Read what Wawrinka and Hewitt had to say below. Stay
tuned for Ivanovic’s entertaining interview in the coming
days.
Stan Wawrinka:
How do you feel coming into this Australian Open
compared to last year. Do you have a bit of swagger this time
around?
It’s been a crazy year for me, 2013. I won so many good
matches. My first semifinal at the US Open. And London, the
semifinal again. For sure I have more confidence, but that
doesn’t mean that it will be easy. It’s never easy, especially
in a Grand Slam. I feel great. I won my first tournament. It’s
never easy to win a tournament, so I’m very happy.
What has the fan reaction been like? Your fan base has
expanded significantly over the past year.
Yeah, for sure. It’s been completely different after what
happened last year. It’s been a really positive thing. I won my
matches in London and at the US Open. It was a crazy moment for
me. It’s good because [the fans] have been here to support me,
and that’s important.
Specifically, can you point to something you and your
coach Magnus Norman have worked on to get you to this next
level?
It’s more general. Small things. Before I was in the top 20 for
five years already, so it’s not a big change. Just the small
things change.
You’re quite active on Twitter. When are we going to
see you join the fun with an #AskStan question and answer
session?
Maybe when I feel it’s the right moment [smiles]. Yeah, maybe I
should do it. I’ll see when I feel it. One day I can wake up
and say, “Okay, I can do it.”
Roger Federer has been playing some doubles this year.
Any chance we’ll see you two reprise your Beijing doubles magic?
Yeah, maybe. We’re talking about playing one or two
tournaments. It’s not easy to play doubles on top of singles,
but if we can play together, we will try to do that.
What do you like to do when you’re off the court
relaxing?
It depends. I like to watch some movies, read some books,
listen to some music, walk in the city. Especially here, it’s a
nice city.
Lleyton Hewitt:
Congratulations on your win in Brisbane. What do your post-win
celebrations look like now, three kids later, compared to, say,
a decade ago?
My family wasn’t up there with me actually, but it was more
just recovery and doing the right things. I had a couple of
beers with my team and that was it.
Incidentally, you also played Federer in the final of
the last tournament you won (Halle 2010). What is it about his
game that seems to bring out the best in you?
I’m not sure. He is one of the toughest guys to play. There’s
no secret answer there, but he brings out the best because you
know you need to play extremely well to have a chance against
him.
It’s been 16 years since your first professional
tournament win. Looking back, what advice would you have given
your 17-year-old self?
I don’t know. [Maybe] not to punish my body so much because I
had to go through the surgeries later on. That was the tough
part. The last four or five years I’ve had five different
surgeries.
Do you think you would have done as well as you did if
you didn’t punish your body?
Probably not (laughs). That’s why I probably ended up winning
slams and getting to No. 1, so it’s a Catch 22.
Last time we spoke, you mentioned that getting
Australia back into the Davis Cup World Group was a top goal of
yours. Now that you’ve done that, has Pat Rafter paid you off
to keep playing for another five years or so?
I don’t know about that (laughs). Not five years, but
definitely this year. We’ll take it year by year. It’s a
massive focus for all the Australian players, and something
that we’re trying to enjoy as much as anything.
Are your expectations the same now as they were years
ago? Do you still go out and expect to be able to win the
Australian Open?
Much and much. I think once I get on the court, I’m as
competitive as ever. I’m still focused on going out there and
getting the job done. Not much has changed in that regard.
Obviously, I’m only looking at the first round. I’m not looking
past that. If the draw opens up, you take advantage of
that.
You have stayed away from the social media side of
things that so many players engage in now. Has that been a
conscious decision on your part?
I’m not really into it. Obviously we get hounded quite a bit by
the paparazzi and the whole works anyway, so I enjoy having my
private time.
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