His 20th and last Australian Open will be a worthy finale to a great career in Melbourne: Stan Wawrinka shows fighting heart, class and charm - and drinks a beer as a farewell.
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- Stan Wawrinka put in a strong performance in his third-round defeat to Taylor Fritz in Melbourne and proved that he remains competitive in his farewell season.
- Despite his elimination, Wawrinka delivered an almost even match, presented himself as physically strong and, thanks to his form and points record, is approaching a return to the top 100 in the world rankings.
- The three-time Grand Slam winner bid an emotional farewell to the Australian Open, thanking the crowd and emphasizing that he wanted to enjoy his final season to the full.
Stan Wawrinka puts in a strong performance against Taylor Fritz in the third round of the Australian Open 2026 and demands everything from the world number 9. In the end, the Frenchman loses in four sets (6:7, 6:2, 4:6 and 4:6).
Remarkably, the 40-year-old only won four points fewer than the American over the entire match. It wasn't down to fitness: Wawrinka was physically much stronger than in 2024 and 2025 and held his own in the first two matches - including the 58th five-setter of his career - even after a total of almost eight hours of play.
Emotional farewell words
The three-time Grand Slam winner received a lot of encouragement from the crowd after the honorable defeat. "The atmosphere was incredible. Thank you all so much," he said immediately after the match at the on-court ceremony. "Thanks to you, I've experienced so many emotions here," emphasized Wawrinka, who was playing his 20th and last Australian Open and his 75th Grand Slam tournament in total. Wawrinka is the first player since Ken Rosewall in 1978 to win two matches at a Grand Slam at the age of 40.
He wants to savor every moment of his farewell season in 2026. Relaxed and happy rather than nostalgic, he said goodbye in front of his parents on Saturday with a twinkle in his eye: "I'm off to get a beer to share with Craig Tiley, the tournament director," he said, putting his words into action.
Djokovic with a laudatory speech
After the tournament in Melbourne, Wawrinka should move up to 110th in the world rankings. As he only has 144 points to defend before the French Open (May 24 to June 7), a return to the top 100 seems realistic - and thus a direct entry into the Grand Slam main draw.
With renewed self-confidence, the former world number three should also have further chances on the ATP circuit in 2026. The number of wildcards is likely to increase, as are the opportunities to collect valuable points.
Novak Djokovic, rival, competitor and long-time companion, says of Wawrinka: "I'm proud to call him my friend and someone who has inspired me. To see how hard he fights is a testament to his career. If he leaves, tennis will lose a great player and a great person."
