Stan Wawrinka says if he is looking at becoming a tennis coach once he retires from the sport

The ATP legend, who will hang up his racket later this year, lost his opening match against fellow icon Matteo Berrettini.

And he has now shed light on his plans during retirement, and whether that could involve returning to tennis in a coaching capacity.

Why do you think Stan Wawrinka was never considered to be on the same level as Andy Murray?

Stan Wawrinka uncertain about coaching once he retires

Wawrinka said of possibly coaching younger players on the ATP Tour: “Well, I always love to talk about tennis.

“I try to talk with the young generation.

“For me, it’s always been super interesting.

“I like to give back if I can help in any way.

“That’s always something I enjoyed in my career.

“I think being coach, not in the short term, that’s for sure.

“And in a few years, I don’t know.

“But in the next year, for sure not.”

It’s an understandable stance from Wawrinka, who deserves all the time he wants and needs to recover from his stunning playing career.

That comprises 16 ATP titles and a rise to world number three, with the veteran boasting three Grand Slam titles.

Stan Wawrinka has ‘many different plans’ after his playing career

Wawrinka gave Wimbledon fans one last reason to cheer, playing a key role in a thrilling clash with Berrettini.

All four sets in the match went to a tiebreak, with the Italian eventually prevailing after four hours and 20 minutes.

But the iconic figure is not quite finished with his career, which will end on home soil when Wawrinka retires at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

Sharing his plans after that, he said: “I have many different plans, but I think it’s honestly not that I don’t want to say; it’s just too early.

“Being a professional tennis player takes a lot of energy, a lot of discipline, a lot of time, and especially even more at 41.

“41, it’s more difficult than what it looks, I guarantee you.

“Every day is a challenge.

“Every practice, you need to push yourself, even more you need to do, way more than before.

“So as I say, it’s my last year, but I wanted to do it the best way possible.

“So I’m really focusing on and pushing on that for the moment.

“I also know that I’m exhausted from that 20-years-plus.

“And once I will finish at the end of the year, I just want to close the chapter, close the book, chill a bit, enjoy a bit being home, enjoy being with my family, with my friends, take some easy time before thinking about what’s next.

“Yeah, you will know when it will be time.”

Wawrinka has garnered huge respect thanks to his efforts on and indeed off the court over the years, and that was typified by two classy Berrettini gestures at Wimbledon.

He let his opponent walk out onto Court 1 after him, saying: “I’ll go first, you deserve better,” with the Italian then running after his Swiss rival after the match to give him his final Wimbledon towel.

Speaking on court, he said of that moment: “That’s why I ran after him, I wanted to give him the last towel that he played here.

”I think it’s a great memory for everybody. I wouldn’t have minded to keep it, but he wanted it.”

Wawrinka will be sorely missed once he does retire, but fortunately he still has plenty of tennis to play between now and the end of the season.