Tennis player Stan Wawrinka announces retirement

SWITZERLAND: World-renowned tennis player and three-time Grand Slam singles champion Stan Wawrinka has announced that the 2026 season will be his final season in professional tennis.

The Swiss star said he wants to end his long and illustrious career in the “best possible way.”

In a message on social media, Wawrinka wrote that every book has an ending, and now it is time for me to write the final chapter of my professional tennis career. 2026 will be my last year. Tennis fans around the world have become emotional after his announcement.

Stan Wawrinka, who will turn 41 in March, made his mark in the golden era of men’s tennis. He proved that he is capable of winning major titles even in the era of great players such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic by winning the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016.

Wawrinka has won a total of 16 ATP titles in his career, although his last title came in Geneva in 2017. He reached number three in the world rankings in 2014, but injuries have severely affected his career in recent years, due to which he is current ranked 157th.

With 582 victories at the tour level, Wawrinka is currently ranked fourth among active players, ahead of only Gael Monfils, who himself plans to retire next year.

Wawrinka won the doubles gold medal with Roger Federer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics while also playing a key role in leading Switzerland to its first Davis Cup title in 2014.

He will begin his final season at the United Cup in Perth starting on January 2, where his fans will once again be able to see him in action on court.