By Richard Pagliaro Friday, January 2, 2026
Photo credit: Getty
Stan Wawrinka’s A farewell tour in 2026 has already triggered mixed emotions.
The three-time Grand Slam champion said he was excited to play a final farewell season, but he also recognized that saying goodbye to the sport he loved and the fans who supported him would bring with it some tearful exit.
Wawrinka, 40, begins his final season as Switzerland captain and player in Perth this week. Wawrinka said he knew the separation would be painful, but he was proud that he was still competing at the highest level at the age of 40.
“I always try to push my limits. As an athlete, you always have to do your best, push your limits and try to reach the highest level with your abilities,” Wawrinka told the media in Perth today. “Of course, sometimes it will be difficult in the championship. It will be very emotional because I know how I feel and how I am and I love the sport so much, but overall I am very happy with my decision.
“I’m at peace with it. I’m happy to have the opportunity to still be able to play at this level at 40 years old. Like I said, hopefully I can get some good results this year.”
The man nicknamed “Stanny”, currently ranked 157th, is one of only three men in history to defeat Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal in a Grand Slam match, joining Tsonga and Tomas Berdych in achieving the great feat.
Former world number three Wawrinka has previously said he wants to win another title – he won his last title in front of home fans at Geneva in 2017 and played his last tour-level final at Umag in 2023 – and has 582 career wins, 18 short of his 600th.
Still, Wawrinka said playing quality tennis and saying goodbye to fans who have shown him overwhelming support on social media since he announced 2026 would be his last year on tour is his top goal.
“Of course it’s always nice to receive so many messages and support. Like I said, for me, I’ve been passionate about the sport ever since,” Wawrinka said. “I really love touring, traveling, playing in front of all the people around the world. That’s one of the reasons I’ve kept playing for so long. Just to play in front of the fans.
“It’s amazing of course, but like I said, I announced that this will be my last year, but I still have a whole year of tennis left. There are still a lot of tournaments to play. Yeah, hopefully I can enjoy it and get some good results.”
The man who partnered with Roger Federer to help Switzerland win their first Davis Cup title is strictly captain based on the team’s performance this week, leaving the door open for a return to the Fed Cup in 2027.
“Let’s see. Let’s see how things go,” Wawrinka said of his Manchester United Cup captaincy. “Let’s see how we go this week first. Hopefully if we play well and if we leave Perth on a positive note, maybe I’ll come back as captain.”
