Stan Wawrinka’s career ends with defeat to Jiri Lehecka in Basel
The three-time Grand Slam champion lost his final match at the Swiss Indoors after announcing last year that he would retire at the end of the 2026 season.
Stan Wawrinka’s professional tennis career ended in Basel, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, when he lost 7-5, 7-6(2) to Jiri Lehecka at the Swiss Indoors, BBC Sport reported. The defeat closed a career in which the Swiss player won three Grand Slam singles titles despite competing through an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Wawrinka, 41, played his final tour-level match before home fans. He and members of his family and team were in tears after the defeat, according to BBC Sport. Reuters reported that Wawrinka had announced the previous year that he would retire at the end of the 2026 season.
How Wawrinka won his three Grand Slam titles
His first major title came at the 2014 Australian Open. Seeded eighth, Wawrinka beat Djokovic in the quarter-finals and Nadal in the final. He reached a career-high ranking of world number three that year, according to Reuters.
At the 2015 French Open, Wawrinka beat fellow Swiss player Federer in the quarter-finals and Djokovic in the final. His third major came at the 2016 US Open: he saved match point against Dan Evans in the third round before beating Djokovic for the title. Those victories gave him a Grand Slam title in three consecutive seasons.
Reuters reported that Wawrinka won 16 ATP titles. BBC Sport said he spent 267 weeks in the top 10 and won one Masters 1000 tournament. His achievements extended beyond singles: he won Olympic doubles gold alongside Federer in 2008 and helped Switzerland claim its first Davis Cup title in 2014, Reuters reported.
Wawrinka’s farewell in Basel
BBC Sport put Wawrinka’s professional career at 23 years and 985 matches. Its account of the Basel match described a competitive farewell against Lehecka, the world number 21, with the second set decided by a tie-break after Wawrinka pushed the Czech player in front of the home crowd.
Wawrinka told the ATP website that he had wanted throughout his career to give everything and fight for every match out of respect for himself, his opponents, tournaments and fans, according to BBC Sport. ‘That was always the most important thing for more than 20 years, and the only way you can leave the sport — without any regrets,’ he said.
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Sources and context
- Stan Wawrinka retires: Three-time Grand Slam champion's career ends with Basel defeatBBC Sport
- Wawrinka brings career to a close with defeat in BaselReuters, republished by The Hindu
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.