Stan Wawrinka continues to impress on his farewell tour, celebrated with each tournament he graces throughout 2026.
And deservedly so, given all he accomplished across a glittering career, where his prime years were spent battling three of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport.
To win three major titles during their reign of terror is arguably a feat that will never get the credit it deserves, but Richard Krajicek has certainly sought to change that.
The tournament director of the Rotterdam Open has now explained why he thinks Stan Wawrinka should be celebrated among the sport’s greats, thanking him for gracing his event as he calls time on his career at the end of the year.
Stan Wawrinka praised as one of the ‘greatest’
Speaking to SpilXperten, the former Wimbledon champion could not have been more complimentary of the Swiss superstar, who recently graced his event in Rotterdam.
And, in quotes released just after his loss to Daniil Medvedev in Dubai, Krajicek explained why he thinks Wawrinka should be regarded among the sport’s very greatest.
Stan Wawrinka or Andy Murray… who is the greater player? Let us know why below 👇
He claimed: “Wawrinka is a fantastic role model who has had a very great career, and it meant a lot to us that he chose to play here in Rotterdam for the last time.
“When I talk about him as a role model, it’s about many things. It’s quite obvious that during the week in Rotterdam he was the most popular player, especially among the children, and he takes so much time to talk to them, take pictures and sign autographs.
“You can hear a roar every time he walks through the corridors, and he never says no. You know yourself that he always arrives quite late to the Mixed Zone because he makes sure to spend time with all his fans.
“It has been a great honor for us to have one of the best players of all time here in Rotterdam so often. He has three Grand Slams and has beaten Nadal once and Djokovic twice in a Grand Slam final. That is completely unique, and his legacy is among the greatest.
“He has always been a true gentleman, and if you speak to opponents, umpires and so on, they will all say they have the utmost respect for him. What he has achieved is fantastic, and he deserves a great farewell to his career. He got that in Rotterdam, where he had a very tough draw but played fantastic tennis along the way.”
What is your best memory of Stan Wawrinka?
Wawrinka recently confirmed why he’s not retired yet, and adulation like this will certainly have contributed to his decision to prolong his career.
Stan Wawrinka speaks about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Speaking on court after his defeat to Medvedev in Dubai, Wawrinka was once again heralded with a ceremony in his honour.
If this continues at every event he plays for the rest of the year, the 40-year-old will be burned out by the time Wimbledon comes around.
Asked about the current state of the men’s game, and Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance in particular, he offered an analytical answer.
After all, whilst he recognised their elite talent, Wawrinka remains hopeful that, eventually, someone will disrupt their duopoly.
He claimed: “I think for sure right now Jannik and Carlos are different level. But there will be opportunity in the future. There are always going to be opportunity for players.
“At the end of the day, you don’t play the top player every match… It’s of course [a] difficult challenge when you have two players like that, that are so far better tennis-wise and physically, they’re winning all the big titles.”
