Stan Wawrinka has confirmed that 2026 will be his final year on the ATP Tour, saying the time has come to close a storied chapter in men’s tennis.
The announcement landed on social media and caught fans and rivals alike, with the Swiss veteran framing his decision as “one last push” before stepping away from full time competition next season.
Wawrinka’s Final Season
The 40-year-old Swiss, a three-time Grand Slam winner, told followers he was ready to write the final chapter of his career and that 2026 will be his last year on tour, offering a measured goodbye rather than an abrupt exit.
“Every book needs an ending. It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. 2026 will be my last year on tour.”
Stan Wawrinka
Career Highlights And Big Wins
Wawrinka reached a career-high of No 3 in the world and captured Grand Slam titles at the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open, and the 2016 US Open, often at the expense of the game’s top names.
His stylish one-handed backhand was on full display when he beat Rafael Nadal to take the Australian Open title and then halted Novak Djokovic’s Roland Garros run in the notable Paris final of 2015, after a memorable quarter-final win over Roger Federer.
Wawrinka’s wins over Djokovic and Nadal came when those rivals were themselves sitting at the summit of men’s tennis, and he twice defeated Djokovic in Grand Slam finals, proof of his ability to raise his level on the biggest stages.
On top of his Slam success, Wawrinka also partnered with Federer to win Olympic gold in 2008 at Beijing and played a key role in Switzerland’s Davis Cup victory in 2014, underlining a career that mixed individual brilliance with team and national achievements.
In total he has claimed 16 career titles, the most recent of which came at the Geneva Open in May 2017, a reminder of how long he has been a threat on tour despite periodic setbacks and interruptions to his momentum.
Injury has been a chapter in Wawrinka’s story too, with two left knee surgeries in August 2017 prompting the end of a streak of 50 consecutive Grand Slam appearances and forcing him to reinvent his return to top level tennis several times since.
What To Expect In 2026
Wawrinka has indicated he will begin his farewell tour at the Australian Open in January, giving fans a chance to see him back on the biggest hard court stage and to celebrate a career that mixed artistry with grit.
Expect a curated schedule aiming for big events rather than a full grind; at this stage his focus will likely be on health, meaningful matchups, and leaving on his own terms rather than chasing rankings or weeks on tour.
For the tennis community his career reads like a series of peaks that arrived at dramatic moments, and his final season will be measured less in titles than in the memories he created for fans and the upsets he engineered against the sport’s greats.
My Tennis Expert believes Wawrinka’s farewell will be a chance for a proper sendoff, with stadiums filling to honor a player whose one-handed backhand and steely resolve produced some of the era’s most enduring matches.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
