Stan Wawrinka’s final year in tennis has been an excellent reminder of just how good the Swiss star is.
The star, who is set to retire at the end of 2026, has been competitive against the very best on the ATP Tour on some of the sport’s grandest stages, including the Australian Open.
Wawrinka cracked the ATP Tour top again after some fine form at the beginning of the year, which includes victories against Arthur Rinderknech and Hamad Medjedovic.
After missing out on wild cards at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, Wawrinka has received a wild card for a stellar event which features Carlos Alcaraz, Alex de Minaur, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Stan Wawrinka’s retirement year continues to grow
Wawrinka has been confirmed to play the Barcelona Open, which is set to take place between April 11th and 19th.
The event will mark just Wawrinka’s second appearance at the event since in the last 15 years, after he received a wild card last year’s tournament.
His run ended in the first round as the Swiss star was defeated by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets.
What is your best memory of Stan Wawrinka?
The last time he qualified automatically for the Spanish tournament was 2009, when he reached the third round.
He comfortably defeated Mikhail Youzhny before falling to Radek Stepanek in a three set battle 17 years ago.
Wawrinka has reached the semi-finals on two occasions, in 2006 and 2008, both of which saw him lose to Spanish players.
He lost to Tommy Robredo in 2006 and suffered the same fate against David Ferrer two years later. Both men fell to Rafael Nadal in the final.
Stan Wawrinka’s latest decision shows how much he loves the sport
Many were surprised by Indian Wells and the Miami Open’s decision not to award Wawrinka a wild card for what would be his final Sunshine Double events.
The tennis veteran did not win either Masters event, but he did make a sole Indian Wells final appearance in 2017.
Despite missing out on the huge events, Wawrinka continued his retirement tour in smaller events on the Challenger circuit in Europe.
Stan Wawrinka or Andy Murray… who is the greater player? Let us know why below 👇
Wawrinka’s most recent appearance saw him lose in the round of 32 stage of a Naples challenger to Matteo Martineau.
The tennis icon could have easily taken his foot off the gas, but he’s proved his love for tennis by moving down the pecking order to continue playing in his final year.
Wawrinka should be welcomed back with open arms as he returns to the ATP 500 scene at the Barcelona Open.
