Stan Wawrinka Bids Emotional Australian Open Farewell

Stan Wawrinka’s illustrious career at the Australian Open came to a close with a 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Taylor Fritz in the third round. At 40 years old, Wawrinka, ranked 139th, fought valiantly but ultimately couldn’t fend off Fritz, who will now face Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 16.

Wawrinka Bids Emotional Australian Open Farewell

The match saw a tightly contested first set, decided by a tiebreak, which Fritz edged out. Wawrinka responded with a dominant second set, claiming it in just 33 minutes. However, as the match wore on, fatigue set in for the Swiss veteran.

After the third set, Wawrinka called for a medical timeout, signalling the toll that the years of competition have taken. Fritz capitalised on this shift, taking control of the final two sets to seal the victory.

Wawrinka, a former World No. 3, has long been a mainstay in men’s tennis, with Grand Slam victories at the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open, as well as 16 ATP titles. He also boasts an Olympic doubles gold medal, earned at the 2008 Beijing Games with Roger Federer. However, playing through an era dominated by Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic has been no easy feat.

The 2026 season marks Wawrinka’s farewell tour before retirement, bringing an end to a remarkable chapter at Melbourne Park, where he made his debut in 2006 and won the tournament in 2014.

His departure from this year’s Australian Open marks the end of an era for tennis, as one of the game’s most formidable competitors hangs up his racquet.