As he prepares for his comeback after a year's absence due to a foot injury, former world number 3 Stan Wawrinka tells L'Equipe on Wednesday about his recovery, his periods of doubt and his plan to return to the courts at the Monte-Carlo tournament (April 10-17).
Long injured in the left foot, the three-time grand slam winner resolved to undergo serious surgery in Switzerland last June.
“We had to clean the Achilles tendon, grate the bone, it was a big thing, he confides.
I knew my 2021 season was over..."
“It is largely thanks to Doctor Baudot that I managed to hold on”
For rehabilitation, Stan headed for the Paris region.
“As it was a foot operation that came out of the classic “tennis” scheme, I tried to do rehabilitation with specialized people.
And this is something that is seen more in football.
I inquired about centers in Europe.
I called Nasser (al-Khelaïfi), whom I know well from tennis (Editor's note: the president of PSG is also president of the Qatari Tennis Federation).
He opened doors for me.
I made contact in August and I had a very good feeling with the doctor, Christophe Baudot.
It is largely thanks to him if I managed to hold all this rehabilitation which was much longer than what I had been told and much more trying than I had hoped.
The Swiss therefore took up residence at the Camp des Loges... “I went there every day.
Mostly outside of player training times.
I spent four or five hours there, with physio, fitness... I spoke quite a bit with the players but I wasn't trying to fit in, I was there to work and not disturb them.
I was as discreet as possible but you enter a little into their world.
“I had very good discussions, especially with the coach”
However, he was able to approach the Parisian stars, especially those subscribed to the infirmary … “I had very good discussions, especially with the coach, said Wawrinka.
I spent a lot of time, unfortunately for him and for me, with Sergio Ramos, because he was also injured
(in the calves)
during this whole period.
We had the same hours.
I also went to see games.
I like football at the base, so having the chance to see PSG, to see Messi arrive, to follow training, it was interesting.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka85)
However, the winner of Roland-Garros 2015, eager to return to clay, is not unhappy to have finished with France, Paris and the work of rehabilitation: “Rehabilitation was much too long.
The first operation took place on March 26, 2021 and I'm still there!
I haven't been to Camp des Loges since November, I had spent two months in Bordeaux.
The PSG doctor has his rehabilitation center there, the Medical Stadium, with a great team and top-level equipment.
I needed a change of scenery.
I did a little tour of France!
I did all the rehabilitation until January 5th.
Since then, I have gone back to the preparation phase.
And finally, I started tennis again by typing forty minutes, on Friday February 4!
Since May 2021, I had not touched the racket,