Stan Wawrinka made a first-round exit at Roland Garros on Monday, losing to Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.
“My knee is good,” said Wawrinka, the 2015 champion and last year’s runner-up. “I’m happy with that. That’s really positive to see, but it’s been now a few weeks that I’m feeling great with that sort of injury I did. I’m on the right path, and I need to keep pushing.”
The Swiss is expected to drop out of the Top 250 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, 11 June, following the conclusion of the clay-court Grand Slam championship.
“There is no frustration – it’s just tough,” said Wawrinka in Paris. “But again, I knew from the beginning that it will take a lot of time to get back. I knew that from the surgery that it will take a year at least to get where I want to be.
« It’s tough mentally, because there has been no – since the first day – day off, like that you feel that you don’t push yourself. So that’s the most difficult part, but again, I think I’m on the right path.
“I’m playing well. The knee is keeping up and physically I am starting to be stronger every day. So, I need to keep pushing myself to get where I want to be.”