Timea Bacsinszky says advice from Stan Wawrinka helped her return from a knee injury at the beginning of the season.
The 27-year-old from Switzerland, who works with Wawrinka's former coach and is from his hometown, said she had talked to the world No. 3 about her career.
"In Indian Wells, he sat down with me...I was coming back from an injury, and many times the press [would ask me] 'What happened today?'" Bacsinszky said. "He told me to not use [my injury] as an excuse anymore."
Wawrinka instead told her to concentrate on her level of play, regardless of the reason for her poor form.
The advice worked because her season turned around. Having won just three matches coming into Indian Wells, Bacsinszky then reached the semifinals of Miami, won a WTA title, and reached the quarterfinals of the French Open.
She admires Wawrinka's attitude in coming up alongside 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.
"He inspires me a lot," she said. "You have the [natural] talent of Roger and then you compare Stan. His talent is that he's a huge worker."
Bacsinszky is No. 18 in the rankings.