Advertisement

What’s got Stan Wawrinka so worked up?

Stanislas Wawrinka was not a happy camper after his French Open first-round win over Marsel Ilhan – but not for anything that transpired on the court.

Rather, it was a sordid article that appeared on the French Open website that got ‘The Stanimal’ fired up.

• Video: kid’s lob stuns Roger Federer
Why it can’t be easy being Mirka Federer
Furious Federer and Wawrinka slam French Open

Usually articles on the official websites of grand slam tournaments focus on the banal – a player’s first-serve percentage, or how the development of a slice backhand has helped him work through “difficult moments” in matches.

Stan Wawrinka with his wife Ilhan last year. Photo: AAP

Stan Wawrinka with his wife Ilham last year. Photo: AAP

This piece, however, preferred to focus on difficult moments in Stan’s marriage – to Ilham Vuilloud, a Swiss fashion model 10 years his senior. The couple have a five-year-old daughter.

Wawrinka announced the end of his marriage to Vuilloud last month, and the article that appeared on the French Open website said the Swiss media subsequently dished up a “he said, she said” saga.

Wawrinka announced the separation first, with Vuilloud responding via the media, prompting a contrite apology from Stan.

“The life of a public figure is complicated,” he said.

“I should not have talked about my separation with Ilham, because she didn’t agree.

“She warned that she would have to respond to my statement, explaining her reasons. She had the right to react so as I acted knowingly against her will.

“We spoke a lot and in one way or another, calm has returned.”

But Stan was anything but calm after his first-round match against Ilhan at Roland Garros.

Was it because his opponent’s name reminded him of his former partner’s?

Donna Vekic and Stan share the same agent. Photo: Getty

Donna Vekic and Stan share the same agent. Photo: Getty

More likely it was because the article on the French Open site linked him to 18-year-old Croatian player Donna Vekic – 12 years Wawrinka’s junior.

“The plot thickened when Wawrinka defeated none other than Rafael Nadal in Rome, only for news/rumour/hearsay/guesswork to filter out a few days later that he may have more in common with 18-year-old Croat phenom Donna Vekic than just an agent,” the article said.

“Apparently that news had come from the Vekic camp but it certainly will not put Wawrinka into a relaxed frame of mind heading into a tournament where he should rank among the favourites.”

Wawrinka left no one in any doubt as to how he felt about the article in his post-match press conference.

“It’s the official website of a grand slam, so I hope the guy who did that article is not a journalist,” he said.

“I also hope the guy who is supposed to check all the articles on the website is not working anymore for the tournament. Because for me, for a grand slam website, it should be an article about the tennis and that’s it.

“I saw the article last night. I told the tournament that I wasn’t really happy about it, and I don’t think it was great for the tournament to do that s*** article.”

Wawrinka’s ire had the desired effect.

The article’s author is no longer creating content for the French Open site.

“It’s a mistake from us and the guy who wrote it is not working anymore for our website,” a French Open spokesperson said.

“We have changed out processes and we apologise for the mistake.”

Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.