Wawrinka’s career officially over

Stan Wawrinka plays his final match – and is given a hero’s send-off. Ironically, it is his legendary backhand that spells his downfall.

Stan Wawrinka swung at his unique one-handed backhand one last time – and hit the ball out.

The career of the three-time Grand Slam winner from Switzerland has come to an end with a first-round defeat at the tournament in Basel. The 41-year-old lost to the Czech Jiri Lehecka 5–7, 6–7 (2–7) and was subsequently honoured with a standing ovation.

Wawrinka had already announced at the start of the season that the 500-level event in his home country would be his last as a professional. On Monday, he was honoured in Basel for his career. “Stan the Man” had also been given a fitting send-off and celebrated by fans at the Grand Slam events.

After all, he had written himself into the history books with three major titles, achieving this feat during the very heyday of superstars Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He won the Australian Open in 2014 and the French Open in 2015, before defeating Djokovic in the 2016 final in New York.

During his long career, which began in 2002, he also won Olympic gold in the doubles in 2008 and the Davis Cup in 2014, both alongside Federer.