"How to be jealous of one of the greatest sportsmen of all time?" - Stan Wawrinka on his friendship with Roger Federer
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka recently claimed he has never harbored any jealousy towards his more famous countryman Roger Federer. Wawrinka also believes he will be eternally linked with the 20-time Slam champion given everything they have been through together.
Despite a Hall-of-Fame worthy career, Stan Wawrinka has often lived under the shadow of the much more accomplished Roger Federer. The latter has also dominated their rivalry on the court, winning 23 of their 26 matches.
That said, the pair have shared some incredible moments together on the court over the years. They won the doubles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and also clinched the Davis Cup for Switzerland in 2014.
In a recent interview with Paris Match, Wawrinka spoke about his relationship with Federer in detail.
"How to be jealous of one of the greatest sportsmen of all time?" Wawrinka asked rhetorically. "When I got to the circuit, Roger Federer was already at the top. I had the chance to meet him, to win titles with him. It's a huge chance to have been part of the same generation as Roger Federer."
"We've been through so much together, we're real friends, even though our lives are very different and busy," the 35-year-old added. "Everything we have shared binds us forever."
Our era is fortunate to have three extraordinary champions at the same time: Stan Wawrinka
In addition to being so close to Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka also shares a friendly equation with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Wawrinka revealed he often trains with both Djokovic and Nadal, before adding that tennis fans are privileged to have three legends playing at the same time.
"Personally, I get along very well with Novak Djokovic, we often train together," Wawrinka said. "Same (with Rafa), I often train with him. His 13 victories at Roland Garros constitute one of the greatest achievements in the history of sport."
"With Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the Big 3, our era is fortunate to have three extraordinary champions at the same time," he added.
Currently ranked No. 18 in the world, Wawrinka revealed is unsure about who he will remain in touch with after retiring from the circuit.
"I will be able to answer this when I have retired," the Swiss said. "With whom I will remain linked, I don't know. In tennis, we live in a bubble. All over the world, we end up with the same people. With some, I'm friends, with others not at all."