Stan Wawrinka is getting old and should ‘stop now’ believes Roger Federer’s coach Severin Luthi

Luthi praised the Swiss' recent surge in form despite being in the twilight of his career.

Stan Wawrinka is getting old and should ‘stop now’ believes Roger Federer’s coach Severin Luthi

Stan Wawrinka and Severin Luthi (Credits: Eurosport / Reuters)

Swiss veteran player Stan Wawrinka has recently seen a return to winning ways as he reached the finals of the ATP event at Umag on Sunday. After a close encounter in the final which saw the 38-year-old lose in 3 sets to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin (15 years his junior), Wawrinka was understandably in tears during the trophy ceremony as he fell agonizingly short of a title yet again.

Former Swiss player and renowned ATP coach Severin Luthi joked that perhaps given Wawrinka’s age, he should slow down and ‘stop now’.

YouTube video

During an interview with Blick, Luthi praised Wawrinka’s dedication to the sport, saying, “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,” he said.

FS Video

While he has been quick to acknowledge the 38-year-old’s recent improvement in form, Luthi remarked it would do his team and fans well to have reasonable expectations from him. “Can he win another Grand Slam tournament? That looks difficult,” Luthi said. He was, however, quick to point out that he is far from being written off from winning another slam title.

“Stan is just like a diesel engine. The longer he runs, the better he gets. I hope the best for him – and that he can keep doing it for as long as possible,” he remarked.

Also read: WATCH: Alexis Ohanian pranks Venus and Serena Williams with a fake gender reveal

Stan Wawrinka’s title drought continues with Umag final loss

Stan Wawrinka during his runner-up speech at the Croatian Open
Stan Wawrinka during his runner-up speech at the Croatian Open (Credits: ATP tour)

Stan Wawrinka is now on a 4-match losing streak in ATP / Grand Slam finals. The streak dates back to his 2017 French Open final loss to Rafael Nadal.

As a result, Wawrinka understandably broke into tears during his runner-up speech at Umag. Thanking the fans for their support, he said, “I know it’s so foolish to cry, but I love this sport so much. You make it really special. Amazing week.”  

Wawrinka is certainly in the twilight stage of what has been an illustrious career. In spite of the knowledge that his days as a pro are numbered, Wawrinka promised the crowd that he would be back to contend for the title one more time the next year. “Hopefully, I can come back (next year). Thank you for the support. Thank you for being here. Hopefully, I see you next year.”

It remains to be seen whether Wawrinka will manage to win one more title before finally hanging his racket. That being said, it should be clear as daylight to any tennis fan that the legendary Swiss player has already left his mark on the sport.

In case you missed it: