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September 6, 2013, 2:11 pm   3 Comments   
 
The Power of Positive Thinking Doesn’t Fail Wawrinka

By GEOFF MACDONALD
 

Stanislas Wawrinka celebrated his victory over Andy Murray at the United States Open.Uli Seit for The New York TimesStanislas Wawrinka celebrated his victory over Andy Murray at the United States Open.

Tattooed on Stanislas Wawrinka’s left forearm is a quotation that sums up his philosophy of life. It’s from Samuel Beckett, whose writings dealt with the struggle to find meaning in a bleak, nihilistic universe. Written on his arm in blue script: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail Better.”

“It’s my vision of my job and my life in general,” Wawrinka said. “In tennis, as you know, if you are not Roger or Rafa and Djokovic or Andy now, you don’t win so many tournaments and you always lose. But you need to take the positive of the loss and you need to go back to work.”

He added, “It’s that simple.”

Nothing was very simple Thursday for Wawrinka’s opponent, the reigning United States Open champion, Andy Murray, who looked like the negative, anguished Murray of old as he whined and gestured toward his box, looking as though losing to Wawrinka was surely killing him. It was disappointing to watch. Like many tennis fans, I have rooted hard for Murray to slay his personal demons and realize his considerable potential.

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