Recognized for possessing some of the elegant one-handed backhands within the sport, Stan Wawrinka has introduced that 2026 might be his final yr on tour.
The Swiss participant has received 16 tour-level titles, together with three Grand Slam trophies, and rose to a career-high No 3 within the ATP rankings.
“ONE LAST PUSH,” Wawrinka posted on his social media channels. “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.”
The announcement comes with Wawrinka presently 157th on this planet single’s after accidents and knee surgical procedures despatched him tumbling down the rankings.
He has not reached a Grand Slam quarter-final because the 2020 Australian Open and can probably want wildcards to enter the majors in his farewell season.
After a first-round exit on the French Open earlier this yr, Wawrinka admitted defeats had been getting more durable to simply accept in his profession’s twilight, although he remained captivated with competing.
Wawrinka’s profession hit the heights when he received trophies on the Australian Open in 2014, French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016.
The 40-year-old has earned at the least three wins in opposition to every member of the so-called ‘Large Three’ – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – and defeated former world No 1 Andy Murray 10 instances.
Wawrinka received his first ATP Tour title in Umag in 2006 and captured his final trophy in Geneva in 2017.
He additionally represented Switzerland on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and received gold within the doubles with Roger Federer.
Wawrinka claimed his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne because of a four-set win in opposition to Nadal to earn him the brand new moniker of ‘Grand Slam Stan’.
A yr later at Roland Garros he defied the chances to document a well-known victory over then world No 1 Djokovic and he added his third main title in New York when he crashed Djokovic’s celebration as soon as once more by claiming a four-set success.
He at all times lives by the tattoo on his left forearm in italic script that quotes the Irish author Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Wawrinka is ready to open his last season in Perth on the United Cup, which begins 2 January.
What’s so particular in regards to the Wawrinka backhand?
The Wawrinka backhand is pure mastery – early prep, regular motion, and weight behind the ball
‘Stan The Man’ has arguably the perfect backhand within the sport and unleashes it with not solely ferocious energy but in addition pinpoint accuracy.
It’s totally different to his rivals’ backhands, largely as a result of he adopts an open stance facet on and drills straight into the ball, which suggests it carries little high spin and arrives at his opponents far earlier and flatter than they’re used to.
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