MELBOURNE, Australia -- Few people suffer for their art like Stan Wawrinka. And for all the pain he endures to reach the joy, he would not have it any other way.
Wawrinka put his fans through the ringer again at the Australian Open on Monday, squeezing his way through a five-set first-round win over Martin Klizan of Slovakia, after trailing by a break in the fifth set.
Having lived for so long in the shadow of Roger Federer, Wawrinka is now firmly established as the Swiss No. 1, with three Grand Slam titles, a Davis Cup triumph and gold medal to his name.
While Federer found success early in his career, Wawrinka won his first major at the age of 28, here in Melbourne Park in 2014. Things didn't come easy, but that's just how he works.
"From when I was young, I always enjoyed the suffering of practice, running," fourth-seeded Wawrinka said in an interview on the eve of the Australian Open.
"When I was 14, 15, 16, I never had a problem to practice alone my fitness, running 30, 40 minutes at home after practice because I knew it was good. I was always pushing more. Maybe it's in my personality to enjoy to suffer on the practice court because I know that's my way to get better."
Wawrinka grew up on a farm in Saint-Barthelemy, Switzerland, where his parents employ adults with mental difficulties. Seeing them battle everyday life had a big impact.
"There were always between 12 and 16 [handicapped] people on the farm, and we always had lunch together," he said. "For sure, it affected my personality and in a way helped me to reach what I'm reaching now, because that's how I grew up, what I saw when I was young, how life can be tough and accepting maybe some way to reach where I am now."
With his strong, barrel-chested frame, Wawrinka exudes power with his heavy serve, a solid forehand and a brilliant one-handed backhand -- the envy of his peers.
There are times though, especially in the early rounds, when it almost seems as though Wawrinka is bored by the early stages of the match, a necessary evil to get out of the way before the important business arrives.
"I have to be careful how I say it now because it can be taken in a bad way," Wawrinka said, with a laugh. "Sometimes I feel that I am playing good; that it's going to be OK, so then maybe I am not as tough mentally with myself. So that's why sometimes I have some little ups and downs in those matches.
"It's not that I am telling myself that I am going to win today, it's maybe because I'm looking and thinking about more things than when I reach the quarters, semis, when it's simple what you have to think.
As ambitious as he is, Wawrinka is happy to accept that he will never be considered as one of the game's big four: Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and current world No. 1 Andy Murray.
"For me, they are like the fantastic four," he said. "To have four players, same era, winning every single tournament, being in the semifinals so many times, four being No. 1, four having everything, I doubt it will happen again."
So where does he think he belongs?
"Where I am right now. I'm really, really happy with my career and I think I am reaching a crazy level compared to what I thought I would reach.
"But that's it. I've been in the top four for three years. I know I've already beaten the top players, Novak, Rafa, in final of Grand Slams, but I don't deserve to be added to this group because this group has been [dominating for] 10 years. You don't touch the big four."