Stan Wawrinka Retires After First-Round Exit at Basel Tournament

The final match in Basel

Stan Wawrinka ended his 24-year professional career after losing in the first round of the ATP 500 tournament in Basel. The 41-year-old Swiss player, who had announced earlier in the season that his home tournament would be his last, lost to the Czech player Jiri Lehecka, ranked 21st, with a score of 5-7, 6-7 (2-7). According to AFP reports.

How the farewell match unfolded

Every point won by Wawrinka, as well as his signature powerful one-handed backhand shots, were met with ovations from the home crowd. Lehecka broke serve in the 11th game and closed out the first set with an ace. The second set went to a tiebreak, where the Czech player emerged victorious. After the match, Wawrinka took a lap of honor around the court, thanking the spectators. A farewell ceremony for him in Basel had already been held on Monday. 'He has won at the biggest tournaments, so it feels a bit strange for me to be here during his moment. But at the same time, it is a pleasure, and I will never forget this match,' said Lehecka on Sky Sports.

Legacy of a three-time champion

Former world number three Wawrinka, along with Andy Murray, remains the only player to have won multiple Grand Slam titles during the era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. He secured his titles by defeating Nadal in the final of the 2014 Australian Open, and then twice defeating Djokovic: in the 2015 Roland Garros final and the 2016 US Open final. 'I was lucky to play in the same era as them and sometimes even beat them,' Wawrinka told AFP in 2024. The native of Lausanne also won the Davis Cup with Federer representing Switzerland and claimed Olympic gold in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Another meeting with fans

Although his tour career has ended, fans will see Wawrinka on court one more time: in June, he announced that on December 19 in Geneva, he will host a farewell event titled 'One last backhand,' featuring Federer and Murray. Meanwhile, the tournament in Basel continues: second seed Arthur Fils defeated compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (7-5), 7-5; third seed Spanish player Rafael Nadal passed Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in two sets; and top seed Ben Shelton overcame American Alexander Kovacevic 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4). Djokovic, who trained with Wawrinka the day before the tournament, will start on Wednesday against French player Hugo Humbert.