BASEL, Switzerland — Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka played the final match of his professional career in front of home fans on Tuesday, closing a 24-year chapter in tennis with a 7-5, 7-6(2) defeat to Czech Jiri Lehecka at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.
The 41-year-old had announced last year that he would retire at the end of the 2026 season, and the Basel farewell brought a decorated career full circle in the city where it began.
A Career Defined by Grand Slam Glory
Wawrinka’s legacy rests on a remarkable run of major titles that saw him break through against the sport’s dominant figures. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final to claim his first Grand Slam crown, then followed with victories over Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.
Those three titles, achieved against two of the greatest players in the sport’s history, cemented his reputation as one of the most dangerous big-match competitors of his generation. He won 16 ATP titles in total and reached a career-high world ranking of No. 3 in 2014.
Olympic and Davis Cup Success
Beyond his individual achievements, Wawrinka played a central role in Swiss tennis history. He partnered Roger Federer to Olympic doubles gold in 2008 and helped deliver Switzerland’s first Davis Cup title in 2014.
His contributions alongside Federer made Switzerland a force in team competition and gave the country some of its most celebrated tennis moments.
Leaving Without Regrets
Reflecting on his career, Wawrinka said his guiding principle was total commitment in every match.
“For me, all I wanted in my career was to give everything, to have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100% in every match — out of respect for myself, for the opponent, for the tournament, for the fans, for everybody,” Wawrinka told the ATP website.
“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.”
Farewell in Front of Home Fans
The Basel crowd gave Wawrinka a fitting send-off as he took the court one last time in the tournament he had long made a fixture of his calendar. Lehecka, a rising Czech talent, proved a worthy final opponent, edging both sets to bring the curtain down on the Swiss veteran’s career.
Wawrinka’s retirement marks the departure of one of the last great challengers to the era dominated by Federer, Nadal and Djokovic — a player who proved that the biggest titles could still be won by those willing to fight for every point.
