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Stan Wawrinka Exclusive: ‘To beat Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final was really special’ | Tennis News

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Stan Wawrinka Exclusive: 'To beat Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final was really special'
Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

DUBAI: Stan Wawrinka returns to a place of cherished memories this week, back at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis where he lifted the trophy in 2016. Now 40 and competing in the final season of a storied career that once saw him rise to a career-high No. 3 in the world, the Swiss great is embracing one last chapter on the Tour.

Jay Shah: Kapil Dev deserves more credit for 1983 World Cup triumph

Excerpts:Stanimal captured the physical power of your game, do you think the mental strength behind your success was sometimes overlooked?That’s the beauty of tennis, it has many parts to it. It’s a big puzzle. You need to put every piece of the puzzle in its place — fitness, tennis, mentally, and also you need to be in the right place. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of energy to push and find myself as a player. It was important for me to work on myself, my mindset, and how I was going to go in with confidence, ready to beat the best players in the world. It took me years to achieve that. I’m really happy with what I’ve done. Was it tougher to break through in the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era than it is today in the Alcaraz-Sinner duopoly?Those five players you mentioned, and also Andy Murray are the best players we saw in the game. It has been amazing for me to face them, to be able to play against the Big Four for more than 15 years. It was a challenge. But first I’m a fan of tennis, I’m passionate about the game. I always enjoyed watching them, as a tennis fan and player. It was an opportunity for me to play the best players in the game. Right now we are seeing that the level of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has been amazingly high. What they’ve been doing already for a few years, winning all the Grand Slams between them, is amazing to watch. Which of your three Grand Slam titles gave you the most satisfaction?It’s tough to choose, but it’s also my job to answer the question. If I have to pick one title… (exhales) they have all been really special, but one is the French Open (2015). I grew up playing on clay, I practised a lot in Spain, also coming from the French part of Switzerland, Roland Garros was the one that we watched the most as kids. That’s also the one I won as a junior (2003). To beat Novak in the final there was really special. Was retirement a sudden decision, or something that had been building in the months before your announcement?The last few years, I’ve been asking myself when to stop but I never had an answer. At the end of last year, I finally had the answer. I realised that I was most at peace to play for one more year, to push one last time. I’m still passionate about the game, I wish I could play forever, but nobody can play forever. I also wanted to finish my 20-plus year career on a good note. So I’m happy that my level is still there and physically I’m feeling good. You appear leaner now than at your peak? I always try to push myself to be the best player I can to be. You have to do that to be able to stay in the game for 20 years. It was challenging, fitness wise, especially with the injuries. I have always been trying to optimise, to do what’s best for me, what’s best for my body so that I could push my own limits. You were known for those statement shorts and now, in your final year, you’re making a statement with this 40-Love tee…Last year I turned 40, so Yonex did this for me as a present. The ‘Love’ stands for my love of the game, my passion.

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PIF fuels LIV Golf with $267M capital despite multiple losses

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22 February 2026

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Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has approved another major cash injection into LIV Golf, committing about $266.6 million to the league.

The approval was signed by PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan on February 1, 2026, according to Money In Sport. The latest funding pushes the fund’s total investment in LIV Golf to roughly $5.3 billion, and at the current pace it could exceed $6 billion by the end of 2026.

LIV Golf’s spending has remained high. Instead of receiving one big payment each year, the league has been funded through regular cash injections, averaging about $100 million a month during 2024 and 2025.

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Prize money has also gone up for the 2026 season. According to Money In Sport, the overall prize fund for 2026 has risen by about $65 million. Total purses now sit at $32.3 million per event, up from $25 million previously. Individual prize money remains at $20 million per tournament, but the team component has grown significantly.

The PIF has approved $267M in fresh capital for LIV Golf, per Money in Sport

The team prize fund has doubled to $10 million per event and is now shared across all 13 teams. In addition, a new $2.3 million “individual prize via team” pool has been introduced. Captains of the top three teams can award bonuses from this fund with $1 million for first place, $800,000 for second and $500,000 for third.

Some of the increased prize money could be balanced by recent player exits. Brooks Koepka has already returned to the PGA Tour while Patrick Reed is expected to rejoin once his suspension ends in August.

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At the same time LIV Golf appears to be cutting back on event costs. Money In Sport reported that spending on tournament staging is being reduced.

Performance 54 Group, the UK company that organizes LIV events, said in financial results for the year ending April 30, 2025 that it handled slightly more events but with smaller budgets overall which led to a slight drop in revenue. The company also said its contracts have been renewed in all markets for several more years.

LIV Golf explores selling stakes in teams to new investors

LIV Golf is preparing to open its team model to outside investors, with plans to sell minority stakes in some of its franchises for the first time. Reports suggest the Saudi-backed circuit is aiming for valuations of up to $300 million and could look to sell shares in two teams later this year.

Citigroup has reportedly been hired to handle the process. While the teams involved have not been named, one scenario being discussed includes the possibility of a controlling stake being sold rather than just a small share. LIV Golf and Citigroup have not commented publicly.

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League officials have made it clear they see long-term value in the team structure. Executives said earlier this year that the goal is for each of the 13 franchises to eventually be worth about $1 billion. The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia remains the primary owner of LIV Golf, while team captains hold roughly 25 percent ownership in their respective sides.

Off the course, LIV continues to focus on building commercial revenue streams around the teams. Katie O’Reilly, LIV Golf’s executive vice president of business operations, said,

“Right now we are focused on things like driving sponsorship revenue – additionally we are building new businesses under the teams and we are leveraging and using our NIL rights.”

The league also expects strong income from major partners. Chief executive Scott O’Neil said last year that deals with companies such as Saudi Arabian Oil Co., HSBC, MGM Resorts and Salesforce could generate more than $500 million in revenue.

Franchise value is closely tied to star players and broadcast exposure. Big names such as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm headline several teams while media agreements with DAZN, TNT Sports and FOX Sports help expand the league’s global reach.

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