Tearful farewell: Wawrinka ends his career with defeat in Basel
Stan Wawrinka has played his final professional match. The 41-year-old Swiss lost to Jiří Lehečka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors and said goodbye with a lap of honour.
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Stan Wawrinka's professional career is over. The 41-year-old lost to world No. 21 Jiří Lehečka of the Czech Republic 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) at his home tournament in Basel on Tuesday evening. According to SRF, Wawrinka failed to take two break points at 3-2 in the first set before Lehečka broke for 6-5. He fought for every point in the second set, but the tie-break was decided by a backhand error. The last point was played at 23:02 local time.
"I am sad, but I am leaving with a smile because I was able to experience so many extraordinary things," Wawrinka told SRF with tears in his eyes, before taking a lap of honour in front of a cheering crowd. The Swiss Indoors had already honoured him with a ceremony before the tournament.
According to SRF, Wawrinka played 985 matches over about 25 years and won 16 titles, including three Grand Slams: the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open. With Roger Federer he won Olympic doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 and the Davis Cup, AFP recalls. A farewell event called "One last backhand" is planned in Geneva on 19 December, with Federer and Andy Murray also expected. Lehečka faces Daniel Altmaier in the round of 16.