Goodbye to Wawrinka – an everyman who gatecrashed the greats
Stan Wawrinka lost his final tour-level match to Jiri Lehecka in Basel, bringing a 23-year professional career to an end. The 41-year-old Swiss former world number three leaves as a three-time Grand Slam champion who broke through the dominance of tennis’s leading stars.
Wawrinka’s career included major titles at the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016. He played 985 matches and, despite being less consistent than Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, was the only player outside those four to win multiple men’s singles majors between 2006 and 2022. His last match ended 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), after which he and his family were visibly moved.
In short
- Wawrinka’s final tour-level match ended in Basel.
- He won three Grand Slam singles titles.
- His career spanned 23 years and 985 matches.
Explained simply
Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss tennis player who spent 23 years on the professional tour. He won three of tennis’s four major singles tournaments: the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open.
For much of his career, men’s tennis was dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Wawrinka was less consistent than those leading players, but his major titles made him a rare challenger to their success.
Grand Slam tournaments are the sport’s most prestigious events, and winning several is a mark of an exceptional career. Wawrinka’s achievements stand out because he repeatedly won these tournaments during an era when a small group of stars held much of the attention.