Stan Wawrinka’s farewell season ends with first-round loss in Basel

Three-time grand slam champion loses to Jiří Lehečka at Swiss Indoors, marking end of professional career

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published28 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka played his final professional match at his home tournament in Basel, losing to eighth-seeded Jiří Lehečka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors. The 41-year-old three-time grand slam winner had announced last December that 2026 would be his last year on tour, and he exits the sport after more than two decades as a professional.

Wawrinka, who turned professional in 2002, won 16 tour-level titles and reached a career-high world ranking of number three in 2014. His grand slam victories came against the then-world number one in each final: he beat Rafael Nadal for the 2014 Australian Open title and defeated Novak Djokovic for the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Wawrinka paired with Roger Federer to win the doubles gold for Switzerland, and the duo helped Switzerland win its first Davis Cup title in 2014.

Ahead of his final match, Wawrinka told the ATP Tour website: "For me, all I wanted in my career was to give everything, to have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100 per cent in every match — out of respect for myself, for the opponent, for the tournament, for the fans, for everybody. That was always the most important thing for more than 20 years, and that's the only way you can leave the sport: without any regrets."

The 41-year-old’s last shot as a professional, a backhand that landed wide, drew audible disappointment from the home crowd in Basel, bringing an end to a career defined by resilience and high achievement.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

Wawrinka’s retirement closes a chapter in the sport’s ‘golden era,’ alongside contemporaries such as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, whose careers defined a generation of men’s tennis.
His three grand slam titles came against the top-ranked player of the time, a feat that cemented his reputation as a big-match player and one of the few to break through at the very top.
The end of his career reduces Swiss representation at elite level, raising questions about the next generation from the country.

Background

Stan Wawrinka was a late bloomer: he won his first grand slam at 29, becoming the oldest first-time champion in the Open Era. His breakthrough at the 2014 Australian Open, where he beat defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals and eventual top seed Rafael Nadal in the final, announced his arrival as a major force. He added the French and US Opens in successive years, his power tennis and fierce determination winning him the nickname ‘Stan the Man.’ Beyond singles, he was a reliable Davis Cup performer and formed a memorable doubles partnership with Federer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning gold.

What to Watch

Whether Wawrinka moves into coaching or an ambassadorial role for the sport, particularly in Switzerland.
The future of the Swiss Indoors as a tournament, and how it builds its identity after hosting his final match.
Further farewells from other veteran players on the ATP tour, as the cohort of champions from the 2010s continues to step back.

Sources

Former Australian Open champ Stan Wawrinka ends illustrious career · ABC News

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12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.

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SupportedWawrinka’s farewell season ends with a first-round loss in Basel.Just In: “Stan Wawrinka's illustrious tennis career finally came to an end at his home tournament in Basel. The three-time grand slam winner was beaten by eighth-seeded Jiří Lehečka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors”
SupportedWawrinka loses to Jiří Lehečka at the Swiss Indoors, marking the end of his professional career.Just In: “The three-time grand slam winner was beaten by eighth-seeded Jiří Lehečka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors”
SupportedWawrinka played his final professional match at his home tournament in Basel, losing to eighth-seeded Lehečka in the first round.Just In: “Stan Wawrinka's illustrious tennis career finally came to an end at his home tournament in Basel. The three-time grand slam winner was beaten by eighth-seeded Jiří Lehečka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors”
SupportedThe 41-year-old had announced the previous December that 2026 would be his last year on tour.Just In: “Wawrinka, who turned pro in 2002, had announced last December that 2026 would be his last year on tour”
SupportedWawrinka exits the sport after more than two decades as a professional.Just In: “Wawrinka, who turned pro in 2002”
SupportedWawrinka turned professional in 2002.Just In: “Wawrinka, who turned pro in 2002”
SupportedWawrinka told the ATP Tour website: “For me, all I wanted in my career was to give everything, to have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100 per cent in every match — out of respect for myself, for the opponent, for the tournament, for the fans, for everybody. That was always the most important thing for more than 20 years, and that's the only way you can leave the sport: without any regrets.”Just In: ““For me, all I wanted in my career was to give everything, to have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100 per cent in every match — out of respect for myself, for the opponent, for the tournament, for the fans, for everybody,” Wawrinka told the ATP Tour website ahead of his final match.”
SupportedWawrinka won his three Grand Slam titles by defeating the then-world No. 1 in each final: Nadal at the 2014 Australian Open and Djokovic at the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open.Just In: “He beat Rafael Nadal to win the 2014 Australian Open and downed Novak Djokovic for the French Open title in 2015 and the US Open the following year.”
SupportedWawrinka won 16 tour-level titles.Just In: “Wawrinka, who reached a career-high world ranking of number three in 2014, won 16 tour-level titles.”
SupportedWawrinka reached a career-high world ranking of number three in 2014.Just In: “Wawrinka, who reached a career-high world ranking of number three in 2014”
SupportedWawrinka’s last professional shot was a wide backhand that drew audible disappointment from the home crowd in Basel.Just In: “Wawrinka's last shot as a professional tennis player was a backhand that landed wide — to the audible disappointment of the vociferous home crowd.”
Partly supportedWawrinka’s career was defined by resilience and high achievement.Just In: “Former Australian Open champ Stan Wawrinka ends illustrious career.”