Stan Wawrinka ends career with first-round loss to Jiri Lehecka in Basel

Stan Wawrinka played the final match of his professional career on Tuesday. The 41-year-old Swiss lost 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) to Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the first round of the Basel Open in Switzerland.

The Basel crowd strongly supported Wawrinka during the match. Novak Djokovic practised with him in Basel before the tournament.

Wawrinka, a former world number three, won three Grand Slam singles titles. He beat Rafael Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final. He beat Djokovic in the finals of the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.

The match and the farewell

According to Al Jazeera, Lehecka was ranked 21st. He broke serve in the 11th game of the first set and closed the set with an ace. Al Jazeera reported that Wawrinka did a lap of the court after the match to thank the crowd. BBC Sport reported that Wawrinka, his family and his team were in tears after the defeat.

According to Al Jazeera, Wawrinka announced earlier in the season that the Basel Open, an ATP 500-level event, would be his last tournament. He had a farewell ceremony in Basel on Monday. Al Jazeera also reported that he announced in June a farewell event, "One last backhand", on 19 December in Geneva. Roger Federer and Andy Murray are scheduled to take part.

Career record

According to BBC Sport, Wawrinka played 985 professional matches and spent 267 weeks in the top 10. He won one Masters 1000 tournament and 15 other tour-level titles. BBC Sport reported that he won his first Grand Slam title at 28, as the eighth seed in Melbourne. He beat Djokovic in the quarter-finals and top seed Nadal in the final.

Al Jazeera reported that, with Federer, he won the Davis Cup for Switzerland and doubles gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

What is disputed

The outlets differ on the length of his career. Al Jazeera gives 24 years. BBC Sport gives 23 years. The reports do not explain the difference.

What each side says

BBC Sport reported that Wawrinka told the ATP website: "All I wanted in my career was to give everything, have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100% in every match." BBC Sport does not say when he made these comments. According to BBC Sport, he said he was "really far" from forming a "Big Five" with Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. Al Jazeera reported that he told AFP in 2024: "I was lucky enough to be able to play alongside them and sometimes beat them."

BBC Sport quoted Djokovic, 39, as calling Wawrinka a "legend". It quoted him as saying: "Stan's had an incredible career."

Al Jazeera reported that Lehecka told Sky Sports: "He won the biggest tournaments, so for me to be here in his moment is a little bit weird." He added: "But at the same time, it's a pleasure and I will never forget this match."

Analysis

Wawrinka's exit removes from the tour one of the few players who won multiple Grand Slam titles during the period that Al Jazeera describes as dominated by Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. His own description of himself as "really far" from a "Big Five" suggests he sees his place in that era modestly. Others may weigh his record differently. The 19 December event in Geneva could offer further reflection from him and from Federer and Murray. Beyond that farewell event, the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe any longer-term plans, so any future role in the sport remains unknown.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.