Stan Wawrinka ended his professional tennis career on Tuesday evening at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, losing his opening-round match in straight sets to Czech player Jiri Lehecka. Playing before a packed crowd at the St. Jakobshalle, the 41-year-old Swiss veteran fell 7-5, 6-7 after nearly two hours on court, according to reports from 20min.ch.
The defeat marks the final appearance of Wawrinka’s career on the ATP Tour. The three-time Grand Slam champion entered the tournament ranked No. 151 in the world, while Lehecka holds the No. 21 ranking. Despite the ranking gap, Wawrinka stayed competitive throughout the match, relying on his signature one-handed backhand down the line and a steady first serve.
Spectators filled the arena in Basel to capacity, chanting “Allez Stan” repeatedly during the opening-round encounter. Wawrinka fought hard against the younger opponent, but ultimately dropped the first set 7-5 before losing the second-set tiebreak to conclude the match after slightly less than two hours.
Three Major Titles and Olympic Gold Shape a Historic Career
Wawrinka departs the sport with a resume that includes three Grand Slam singles titles: the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open. During his peak years on the ATP Tour, he reached a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world.
Beyond his success in majors, Wawrinka captured Olympic gold in doubles alongside Roger Federer at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, an event that produced iconic images of the two Swiss players celebrating on court. Six years later, the pair teamed up again to lead Switzerland to its first Davis Cup title, defeating France in the final in Lille.
In recent seasons, injuries and veteran status slowed his progress on tour, causing his ranking to drop outside the top 150. Prior to his final appearance in Basel, his strongest result over the preceding two years was a run to the semifinals at the 250-level tournament in Stockholm in October 2024.
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