Triple grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka has caused a scene during his opening match at Roland-Garros, complaining about the temperature of his water.
Wawrinka was angered during his 2-6 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 loss to local wildcard Corentin Moutet, for a bizarre reason, with the former champion fuming to the chair umpire that his water was too cold.
“It is not normal at a grand slam,” he said.
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“Is that normal? Do you think it is normal? So you call someone. It has been three changeovers, I asked you for some water that is not f—ing freezing!
“Because it is not good. You are at the French Open and you cannot get normal water! You think it is normal?”
While at first glance this could appear like a diva request, Wawrinka’s complaint is backed by star peer Novak Djokovic.
World No.1 Djokovic wrote in his book Serve to Win, he only drinks warm water and avoids ice as the extreme temperature blocks the body from functioning at its peak.
“When you drink ice water, the body needs to send additional blood to the digestive system in order to heat the water to 98.6 degrees. There’s some benefit to this process – heating the cold water burns a few additional calories. But it also slows digestion and diverts blood away from where I want it – in my muscles,” he wrote.
Coming back from a left foot injury which has kept the 37-year-old off the court for several months, Wawrinka was realistic in his assessment of how far away he was from returning to his best.
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“Unfortunately this is the reality of how I play at the moment. I need training, a lot of work. I am playing well but not at the level for matches like that. This is the reality unfortunately of where I am,” he said after the match.
“The frustration does not come from a comparison of my past level but because I know I could have done more and that some things did not go well.”
Moutet will now face Rafael Nadal in the second round.
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