Stanislas Wawrinka has split with his wife Ilham for the second time, explanation in part, perhaps, for his lacklustre performance in failing to defend his Monte Carlo Masters title this week.
Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, is in danger of slipping out of the top 10 for the first time since May, 2010, after losing in two quick sets to Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.
In a prepared statement the Swiss said on Sunday: “We have enjoyed ten fulfilling years, with all the ups and downs that every couple experiences, but sometimes life is more challenging than one would hope.
“Ilham and I were both blessed to create a family when our wonderful daughter Alexia was born in 2010. We have always tried to live our lives as a team and as a family, despite the challenges we have faced due to the demands of my career. To my great regret this isn’t possible anymore.
“Ilham will always be the mother of my daughter and a person that I have a lot of love and respect for. We will always remain as a family. Now my priority is to do everything to protect Alexia during these challenging times.
“I hope that the fans and the media will understand that I’ve always been very protective of my private life and wish to continue to do so not giving any further information about the situation.”
In a week of upsets in which his compatriot Roger Federer also lost in the third round, to Gaël Monfils, and Rafa Nadal, who has won the tournament nine times, lost to world No1 Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, Wawrinka’s defeat was the least surprising.
An intensely private and sensitive man, he has struggled for consistency since beating Djokovic and Nadal to win the Australian Open. Since reaching the semi-finals of the 2015 Australian Open, he failed to reach the quarter-finals of three tournaments in a row coming to Monte Carlo.
He and Ilham, a Swiss television presenter, married in 2009 but he left the family home to live in a hotel the following year when Ilham was pregnant with Alexia, saying he needed to concentrate on his career. They were reunited in 2011.
Wawrinka has two tattoos: the one on his left arm is a Samuel Beckett quote: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” The one on his right arm is that of his daughter.
