Stan Wawrinka retires at 41 after Basel loss to Jiri Lehecka

Stan Wawrinka, the Swiss three-time Grand Slam champion, played the last match of his career on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, losing 7-5, 7-6(2) to Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel. The 41-year-old had announced in December 2025 that 2026 would be his final season. His farewell was marked by an hour-long ceremony in Basel the evening before, and Novak Djokovic, who is also playing in the tournament this week, asked to attend his opening match.

Wawrinka won his three major titles at three different Grand Slam events, the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open, in three successive years from 2014 to 2016, while competing against Djokovic and the other leading players of his time. He said in Basel that he had never dreamed of winning Grand Slams, which made the scale of the tributes from his rivals all the more striking.

His farewell in his home country also shows how tennis now marks the end of long careers: with tournament ceremonies, tributes from rivals and the presence of fellow champions. Djokovic's personal request to attend the opening match, which the tournament director said "says a lot" about him, reflects the respect among players who competed against each other for many years. The final match itself was close: Wawrinka stayed level with Lehecka deep into the first set and took the second to a tie-break before the younger Czech player pulled away, and his last shot as a professional was a backhand that landed wide, according to reports.

The tournament continues with Djokovic seeded fourth, according to the draw. He accepted a wildcard to play in Basel for the first time since 2011, the year he won the title there, so the week that began with one veteran's farewell may end with another veteran chasing a title.

For tennis followers in India and elsewhere, Wawrinka's exit is a reminder that the players who defined the men's game for much of this century are leaving the stage. Djokovic, still competing, continues his own campaign in Basel, while attention shifts to younger players such as Carlos Alcaraz, who was among those paying tribute.

Short-term: The Swiss Indoors loses its home favourite after the first round, while Djokovic's presence keeps attention on the tournament.

Long-term: Wawrinka's departure leaves fewer active players from the generation that won Grand Slams alongside Djokovic.

Who is affected: Tennis fans in Switzerland and around the world, the ATP Tour, Swiss tennis, and younger players who grew up watching his rivalries with the sport's biggest names.

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