Stan Wawrinka: The Djoker Slayer

A day before we went to press, Stanislas Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic’s closely contested Australian Open final had taken over Twitter as well as the lone office TV set. Unless you live under a rock, you probably know by now that the Swiss player ended Djokovic’s three-year reign as Australian Open champion with a stunning win. No longer overshadowed by his more illustrious tennis-playing Swiss teammate, Roger Federer, Wawrinka ended 2013 as a top-10 ranked player and unlike Federer, he considers clay his best surface. A gold medalist for Switzerland at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Wawrinka has also developed a special bond with Chennai, where he beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin in straight sets for his second Chennai Open title. FHM caught up with the Swiss for a quick chat…

What's the first thing you do in the morning?

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First thing... Check my phone

What is your favourite colour of socks to wear?

Black

If FHM came to your home and looked inside the refrigerator, what would we find?

Well, you would find a little bit of everything. I have my family at home, so as a family man one needs to stock up on lots of things.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Ah, tough question. I don't know... too many maybe, around 10-15.

If you could play a prank on any tennis player, who would you pick and what would you do?

Let’s see… I think it would be Benoit Paire, the French tennis player and my good friend. I don't know what I'll do but I'm sure I'll find something interesting to do.

Did you ever try out for a school or college music band? What's your favourite band?

Hmm, I never tried out for a band, but my favourite bands are U2 and Coldplay.

What's your favourite karaoke song?

I never sing (laughs), but if I had to it would be a French song, since that's all I've been listening to since childhood.

Do you watch movies on a flight or sleep?

A bit of both really. I'll watch a movie or two and then sleep.

Rambo or Rocky –your favourite action movie hero and why?

Between these two, Rambo, but I'm not a big fan of either of them. My favourite movie is Iron Man.

What's your most embarrassing fan story?

Sorry, nothing to tell here.

You've had your best year on the ATP circuit in 2013. How did you celebrate? Did you buy yourself something expensive?

No, I didn't reward myself with anything expensive. I just try to enjoy every moment of what I achieved last year, especially after qualifying for the year-end Masters and reaching the semifinals at the US Open. I celebrated that moment with my friends and family.

If you were a character on Breaking Bad, who would you be? Or on your favourite TV show?

You know, I know the series but I've never seen it. I like Prison Break.

What's the one movie you can watch again and again?

I usually watch French comedies, any old movies or all James Bond movies.

The one colour you thing would look totally great on you but are too afraid to wear?

Umm...None!

What's the funniest thing you've read about yourself?

I don't really know.

What's the tastiest dish you've ever eaten and where?

Oh I love food, so I love eating everywhere I go and I travel a lot. It is impossible to pick one dish, but I love Indian food and really, really enjoy it. I take the chance to try every food possible.

From the February 2014 issue of FHM India.