On the evening of 27 October in Basel, 41-year-old Stan Wawrinka sent his final one-handed backhand of his career out. The score of 5:7, 6:7(2) against the Czech Jiří Lehečka was not merely a first-round defeat at his home ATP 500, but the point where the 24-year story of one of the most stubborn players of the Big Three era came to an end.
Wawrinka had announced his retirement back at the end of 2025, choosing Basel for his final tournament — the city where he grew up and where he always felt at home. The fans gave him ovations even before the match, and afterward — standing. The Swiss himself stressed in an ATP interview that what mattered most to him was "to give everything without regrets."
Behind him are three Grand Slam titles, won precisely in finals against the then world number ones — Nadal in Melbourne 2014, Djokovic in Paris 2015 and New York 2016. Plus Olympic gold in doubles with Federer and the Davis Cup. In an era when the three dominated for nearly two decades, Wawrinka proved that even in the shadows one can leave a bright mark.
His career is an example of how psychology and character outweigh pure talent. Wawrinka did not possess phenomenal speed or power, but he knew how to rise to the occasion in key moments and play through pain. The fans valued precisely this honesty in him: he never hid behind injuries and always stepped onto the court giving his utmost.
For tennis, his departure is yet another signal of a generational shift. After the departures of Federer, Nadal and now Wawrinka, only Djokovic remains, while young players for whom the Big Three are already history are stepping into the spotlight. Swiss tennis, which once gave the world two champions, is now searching for new heroes.
Wawrinka departs without regrets, leaving behind not only titles but also an example of how to live a career with dignity. His last backhand out became a symbol: sometimes the most important thing is simply to step out and give everything to the end.
