Stan Wawrinka retires after loss in Basel's opening round

Stan Wawrinka, a former World No.3 and three-time Grand Slam winner, has announced his retirement from professional tennis following his defeat in the first round of the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel on Tuesday. Wawrinka, at 41, faced Czech player Jiri Lehecka, who secured a 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) victory against the veteran player.

Wawrinka turned professional in 2002 and has had a storied career, culminating in 16 singles titles. Among his notable achievements are victories at the Australian Open and the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016. A highlight of his career was winning the doubles gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, playing alongside Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer.

During his illustrious career, Wawrinka managed to break the stronghold established by Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic in the Grand Slam arena. Together with Britain's Andy Murray, also a triple Grand Slam champion, Wawrinka was one of the few players to frequently challenge these giants of the sport.

The Swiss player is also recognized as one of only three competitors to have defeated Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray in one of the sport's four major tournaments. Wawrinka once relished these achievements in a 2024 interview with AFP, mentioning the privilege of playing against and occasionally beating these renowned players.

His retirement comes shortly after a tribute ceremony held in Basel, where Wawrinka was honored in the presence of former World No.1 Martina Hingis. His departure from the sport follows those of other notable players like Japan's Kei Nishikori and France's Gaël Monfils, both of whom have also recently retired.

In the final year of his career, Wawrinka demonstrated his enduring skill and tenacity, reaching the third round of the Australian Open in January and briefly reentering the top 100 players in the world. Since turning 40 in March 2025, Wawrinka set a record by winning 12 matches on the main ATP circuit, the most since the ATP Tour's inception in 1990.

Wawrinka’s retirement marks the end of an era for Swiss tennis and the wider tennis world. His unique ability to remain competitive against the top players made him a favorite among fans, who admired his powerful backhand and resilience on the court. While his departure leaves a gap in the sport, Wawrinka's remarkable achievements and contributions to tennis will be remembered.

Carine06 from UK