"Tough guy" Wawrinka's final year: blooming brilliantly, not fading slowly

Yesterday in the Australian Open men's singles second round, with just two months until his 41st birthday, Wawrinka spent 4 hours and 32 minutes to overcome 21-year-old French qualifier Jea by 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), marking his return to the last 32 in a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open and his first time in the Australian Open last 32 in six years.

This victory could be called a "grueling win." Winning the match in an almost brutal manner, Wawrinka became the fifth player aged 40+ in the Open Era to claim a five-set Grand Slam victory.

At the end of last year, Wawrinka announced that 2026 would be his final professional season.

On December 31, 2025, the 40-year-old veteran was still competing on court. Ranked 156th, Wawrinka received a wildcard to play an ATP125 Challenger event in Slovenia, and after losing in the second round, he immediately traveled to Australia to represent Switzerland at the United Cup.

From the end of one year to the start of the next, the three-time Grand Slam champion kept moving from one tournament to another. Having decided to retire this year, Wawrinka hopes to play as many matches as possible and stay on court longer.

All of this stems from his genuine love for tennis.

On January 4, the ATP officially paid tribute to the veteran. Looking ahead to this final year, how will "tough guy" Wawrinka say goodbye to the sport he loves and to the fans who love him?

Now, the answer is clear — Wawrinka will summon all his courage and passion this year to fight fiercely, blooming brilliantly for himself, for tennis, and for countless fans —His final dance will be a fiery salsa, not a slow, ceremonial waltz.

Burning out completely on court is Wawrinka's endgame plan. Like his spectacular and powerful one-handed backhand, during the rest of this year, we will witness one sacrifice after another, a true man using all his strength to shine his last brilliant light.

In his first match of the new year, Wawrinka fulfilled his promise by playing an outstanding match. Under the scorching sun in Perth, he spent 3 hours and 18 minutes to come back and defeat a top-30 player, last year's Shanghai Masters finalist Lindgren. After the match, Wawrinka declared his goal: to return to the Top 100 at 40 and finish his career with victories.

During the United Cup, Wawrinka and his longtime coach Norman gave an interview. Regarding his 25th and final season, Wawrinka said he dislikes the term "farewell tour."

On January 4, 2026, Stan Wawrinka battled for over three hours at the Perth United Cup, winning his first match of his farewell season / Photo source: ATP official website

Here are the key points from that interview.

Facing a new and final season, Wawrinka always responds politely with deep gratitude when receiving blessings and praise. This Swiss legend is determined:

to bring a perfect conclusion to his nearly 20-year top-level career, not letting it fade away — in 2026, he will do what he does best — fight with all his might to win as many matches as possible.

"I'm certain this is my last season, but I won't just spend it saying 'goodbye,'" Wawrinka said. "I'm a competitor. I want to push my limits, keep competing against the best, and keep winning. I also want to try to return to the top 100 at age 40."

"Looking back at my career, I feel I've fully explored my potential. That has always been my goal, and it remains unchanged in my final season. I've constantly challenged my limits, and the achievements I've reached have already surpassed the dreams I had when I was young."

Despite over 20 years on tour, this three-time Grand Slam champion remains a fierce competitor at heart. Otherwise, why would he have played 29 ATP Challenger events in 2025 when his ranking was well outside the top 100 and he rarely qualified for main draws?

"He truly enjoys hard training and a high-intensity lifestyle, pushing his body and mind to the limit," Norman said recently in Perth. "And he loves competing in front of crowds. At last year's Naples Challenger, the crowd was enthusiastic throughout. For him, there's no difference between a Challenger and a Grand Slam."

Wawrinka, who holds 16 tour titles, agrees: "I'm lucky to have won Grand Slams and played on the biggest stages. But whether on small or large courts, the passion for playing, the thrill of competition, and the experience of performing in front of fans are the same. Because,

when you love what you do, the size of the venue doesn't matter."

ATP Challenger events differ greatly from the center courts of Roland Garros, the Australian Open, and the US Open — yet it is on those top courts that Wawrinka forged his legend. With Norman by his side, he won three consecutive Grand Slam titles from 2014 to 2016: the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open.

Norman shared a memorable moment from Wawrinka’s last Grand Slam triumph — the 2016 US Open final where Wawrinka defeated Djokovic in four sets. Before the final, as the referee called the players to the court, the Swedish coach gave an emotional speech.

"He was in great form, and I thought he could play an amazing match, but against Djokovic, no one could be sure if that would be enough," Norman recalled. "I told him that no matter the result, I was incredibly proud of everything he had achieved."

These words moved Wawrinka to tears, and Wawrinka’s tears in turn brought tears to Norman’s eyes.

"The referee was urging us to go on court, but we started crying in the locker room. That was exactly what we needed — all the built-up tension was released in that moment for both of us," Norman added.

Wawrinka said his most treasured memory remains the victory over Djokovic in the 2015 French Open final.

Wawrinka’s checkered shorts at the 2015 French Open remain a vivid memory for fans / Photo source: ATP official website

"Every Grand Slam title has its own special meaning," he said. "The 2014 Australian Open was my first Grand Slam win — the year before, I had lost a five-set match to Djokovic 10-12 at the Australian Open, so winning there was a turning point in my career."

"If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the French Open. I grew up in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and watched the French Open every summer as a child. I never got tired of watching it all day, and because it was close to home, family and friends would come to cheer for me."

"I played on clay courts from a young age, so for many reasons, the French Open title means a lot to me."

In the match where he defeated Djokovic at the Philippe Chatrier court, one of the most iconic moments in modern Grand Slam finals history was born: Wawrinka hit a deep, angled, looping backhand winner around the net post from the baseline, amazing the entire crowd.

"That was an incredible memory; I felt great at that moment. The match was tied 1-1, and in the third set, I was in a break-point advantage. I was completely in rhythm and feeling exactly how I wanted."

"I saw the ball and the gap in my opponent’s defense and took the shot decisively."

"Moments like that bring immense joy — just reaching the French Open final was a huge achievement, and playing that shot against Djokovic, showing that level of play, is something I will never forget."

Stan Wawrinka and coach Magnus Norman celebrate their 2015 French Open victory / Photo source: ATP official website

Against the "Big Three" (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic), Wawrinka’s overall record is 12 wins and 63 losses — 3-19 versus Nadal, 3-23 versus Federer, and 6-21 versus Djokovic — but many of his wins came at the most crucial moments:

in Grand Slam finals, his record against the Big Three is 3 wins and 1 loss.

"At his peak, when Stan was on form, no one was guaranteed to beat him," Norman said. "He could hit winners from two or three meters behind the baseline with both forehand and backhand. His serve and movement were excellent, and his physical condition was outstanding."

"He performed best under pressure. Grand Slam champions have qualities others don’t. When I reached a Grand Slam final, I was overwhelmed by the occasion, but Stan handled it calmly. I believe this ability is innate."

Wawrinka’s classic Grand Slam victories include:

winning his first Grand Slam title by defeating Nadal at the 2014 Australian Open;

victories over Djokovic in the 2015 French Open final and 2016 US Open final;

a 9-7 fifth set win over Djokovic in the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals, followed by defeating Nadal in the final — just a year earlier, he had lost a five-set match to Djokovic 10-12 in the fourth round of the Australian Open;

defeating Federer in the 2015 French Open quarterfinals en route to the title;

winning his only Masters 1000 title at the 2014 Monte Carlo Masters by beating Federer in the final.

Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic embrace after the 2016 US Open final / Photo source: ATP official website

Who was the toughest opponent for Wawrinka?

"All three were very tough," Wawrinka admitted. "You can tell from the head-to-head records: I lost over 20 times to each of them. But the hardest was Nadal on clay — he attacked my one-handed backhand with high-bouncing forehands, constantly pressuring me. In those situations, it was hard to create counterattacks or put pressure on him, especially since he serves left-handed, which is tricky to handle."

Having lived through the era dominated by the Big Three, Wawrinka believes the "new Big Two" formed by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will likely continue to lead men's tennis, at least in the short to medium term.

"I think we are in the era of Alcaraz and Sinner; over the past few years, they have shown they are far above the rest," Wawrinka said. "I'm not sure if anyone will consistently challenge them, but one thing is certain: they won’t win every tournament."

"I still believe they will dominate the sport for many years to come. It will be very interesting to see how high they can reach in 5, 10, or even 15 years. To challenge Djokovic’s records, you need to stay at your peak for at least 15 years."

Beyond his on-court achievements, Norman is equally proud of Wawrinka as a person — perhaps even more so.

"He's like a regular good person who always sticks to his values," said the coach who once ranked world No. 2 and reached a French Open final. "He's very humble, treats everyone equally regardless of winning or losing. I think that's a big reason we have worked together for so many years. Whether it's ball kids, world No. 1 players, or cleaners, he shows respect."

Wawrinka holding the 2014 Australian Open trophy / Photo source: ATP official website

That concludes the entire interview. In my opinion,at his peak, Wawrinka was the most intense man on tour, and I have lost count of how many times I have rewatched his French Open final victory over Djokovic. Reading Wawrinka’s interview fills me with excitement, and I keep picturing the bold letters "STAN THE MAN" on his T-shirt.

I hope Wawrinka can finish this season in good health, and even more, I hope he will come to China this year. I will definitely be there in person to cheer for him, hoping the 78th autograph I collect will belong to tough guy Wawrinka!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yun Juan Yun Shu)