Wawrinka eyes one final surge into 2026

Stan Wawrinka steps toward the horizon with a quiet resolve, announcing that 2026 will close his professional chapter. The 40-year-old Swiss, whose one-handed backhand has long sliced through rallies with elegant menace, carries 16 tour-level titles and a career-high No. 3 ranking into this endgame. Now, every practice session hums with the weight of finality, where the tour’s grind meets a lifetime of ambition.

On social media, he laid it bare, framing the year ahead as a deliberate wind-down. The post captures a man who has navigated peaks and valleys, from Grand Slam glory to injury-fueled comebacks, all laced with unyielding discipline. As the calendar turns, Wawrinka’s gaze sharpens on the road from Perth onward.

ONE LAST PUSH
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

P perseverance
A ambition
S sacrifice
S success
I injuries
O obsession
N never give up

D discipline
R… pic.twitter.com/CJlA8gCN8Y

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) December 19, 2025

Backhand echoes from mid-2010s peaks

Wawrinka’s career surged in the mid-2010s, claiming majors at the Australian Open in 2014, Roland Garros in 2015, and the US Open in 2016. Those triumphs hinged on his heavy topspin forehand ripping inside-in winners, pulling opponents off-balance in prolonged exchanges on hard and clay alike. The psychological edge came from turning doubt into drive, especially after early setbacks, with each victory a release against the obsession that defined his preparation.

His elegant one-handed backhand became a signature, redirecting pace with underspin slices down-the-line to disrupt aggressive returns. On clay at Roland Garros, he layered topspin to climb the bounce, forcing errors in crosscourt rallies that stretched points into mental marathons. These runs weren’t just technical; they fed a narrative of perseverance, where sacrifice in rehab fueled the ambition to stand tall among giants.

Rivalries forged in high-stakes fire

Wawrinka reached the Nitto ATP Finals four times, with three straight semifinals from 2013 to 2015 testing his composure under round-robin pressure. He notched at least three Head2Head wins against each of the Big Three—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—often via a sharp 1–2 pattern that opened the court for backhand lasers. Against Andy Murray, he tallied 10 victories, using patient angles to exploit movement and invite mid-rally mistakes.

Off the singles court, his gold medal in men’s doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics alongside Federer blended synergy with tactical volleys on hard courts, the crowd’s roar amplifying their bond. He anchored Switzerland’s 2014 Davis Cup win, adapting serve-volley on indoor surfaces to outlast foes in decisive ties. These moments built resilience, turning national pride into fuel for personal battles against injury’s toll.

From Umag origins to Perth’s curtain rise

His first ATP title arrived in Umag in 2006 on clay, where early aggression with inside-out forehands set the tone for a career spanning surfaces. The latest crown came in Geneva in 2017, followed by finals at Roland Garros that year, Rotterdam and Antwerp in 2019, and Umag in 2023—each a testament to tactical shifts like drop shots shortening points on faster hard courts. At 40, these milestones reflect a discipline honed through obsession, where recovery rituals kept the fire alive amid the tour’s isolation.

As December 19, 2025, marks the announcement’s echo, Wawrinka prepares to launch his final year at the United Cup in Perth starting January 2. The team format offers camaraderie amid individual stakes, with outdoor hard courts demanding quick adjustments to spin and pace in the Australian heat. This opening salvo sets a rhythm for 2026, where every rally could weave success and sacrifice into a farewell laced with the backhand’s timeless grace.