Stan Wawrinka Bids Farewell at Australian Open 2026

40-year old Stan Wawrinka has played his last Australian Open match after announcing on Saturday his decision to call it quit in a tournament that he has consistently featured in for the last twenty decades.

After a series of spirited performances that carried him into the third round, Stan Wawrinka’s Australian Open campaign came to an end as the 2014 champion eventually ran out of steam in a 7–6(5), 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 defeat to ninth seed Taylor Fritz.

The loss marked the curtain call on Wawrinka’s 20th—and final—appearance at Melbourne Park, the stage where he claimed the first of his three Grand Slam titles. The Australian Open paid tribute to the Swiss great, offering an emotional send-off following his third-round exit on Saturday.

Thank you, Stan ❤️@emirates • #flybetter pic.twitter.com/rvwfipTOxo

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026

 Wawrinka, who has announced he will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2026 season, was joined on John Cain Arena by tournament director Craig Tiley. The former world No. 3 was handed the microphone to address the crowd, reflecting on an illustrious career that has left a lasting mark on the sport.

“The atmosphere was again unbelievable,” said Wawrinka, owner of perhaps the greatest one-handed backhand ever seen and who plays his final year on tour during 2026.

“All these years, guys I saw you enjoying the tennis, I saw you being around, I saw you supporting us, I saw you drinking … and now I can enjoy,” he laughed.