Stan Wawrinka Ends 24-Year Tennis Career After Basel Open Defeat
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka has brought his 24-year professional tennis career to an end after losing to Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the first round of the Basel Open. The 41-year-old Swiss star fell 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) on Tuesday, closing a remarkable chapter in a career that saw him rise to world number three and challenge tennis’s biggest names.
Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, defeating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in those finals. He also partnered compatriot Roger Federer in Switzerland’s Davis Cup triumph and won men’s doubles gold with Federer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Despite competing during the dominant era of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, Wawrinka established himself as one of the few players capable of winning multiple Grand Slam titles.
Following his final match in Basel, Wawrinka walked around the court to thank fans who celebrated his achievements with loud cheers. Although his professional career is over, supporters will have another chance to honour him at his farewell event, “One Last Backhand,” scheduled for Geneva on December 19, with Federer and Andy Murray expected to participate.
His powerful one-handed backhand and memorable Grand Slam victories will remain defining parts of his legacy.
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