Sat down with this modern-day great, his eyes glisten as soon as the topic of the Paris clay is raised.
“Roland-Garros for me goes all the way back to when I was younger,” said the Lausanne native. “It’s May-June and the beginning of holiday. So that was, for me, the best memories, you come back from school and you watch on TV every match, many times I sat all day long, I remember those days very well.”
From watching in front of a screen, Wawrinka was soon sliding across the world-renowned terre battue at Porte d’Auteuil.
Djokovic and Murray were part of the Roland-Garros 2003 boys’ event, but Wawrinka took the top junior honours.
“It came as a surprise as it was the only Junior Grand Slam I played that year, I was playing more Satellites and Futures events for ATP ranking points,” recalled the 16-time ATP titlist.
“My first real experience at a Grand Slam, it was amazing. It was a super tough draw, I knew I was playing well but was a surprise to win because I was comparing myself against the best of my age. I’ll never forget it.”
