Stan Wawrinka’s skilled tennis profession will come to a close later this month.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, now 41 years previous, will deliver the curtain down on his legendary profession upon competing at the Basel Open.
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Around 23 years in the past, Wawrinka competed in the Swiss occasion for the first time following receipt of a wildcard from the event organisers.
How did the Swiss famous person fare in his first-ever look at the ATP 500 occasion?
Stan Wawrinka’s debut look at the Basel Open
Back in 2003, Wawrinka was a comparatively unknown 18-year-old wanting to make a title for himself on the skilled circuit.
Wawrinka was granted the alternative to do so upon receiving a wildcard for the Basel Open.
Unfortunately for the teenager, he was unable to take full benefit of the alternative, shedding a close-first spherical match to Czech participant Tomas Zib.
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Zib, who defeated Wawrinka 7-6, 7-6, lost in the second spherical to former world quantity 4 Tim Henman.
A 12 months later, Wawrinka again competed in the Swiss occasion after receiving another wildcard from the event organisers.
Again Wawrinka fell at the first hurdle, shedding to Tommy Robredo in three units.
Defeat again forged a shadow over Wawrinka’s 2005 look, as the 20-year-old was overwhelmed by Kristof Vliegen in the first spherical.
In 2006, Wawrinka finally broke his Basel Open duck.
The then 21-year-old defeated Agustin Calleri, Tim Henman [pictured below], and former champion David Nalbandian before succumbing to 2008 Olympic silver medallist Fernando Gonzalez in the semi-finals.
Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
Wawrinka has reached the semi-finals of the occasion on only one other event: in 2011.
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He defeated Ivan Dodig, Robin Haase and Florian Mayer before shedding to compatriot and eventual champion Roger Federer.
Stan Wawrinka’s efficiency at the 2025 Basel Open
Wawrinka surprised Serbian participant Miomir Kecmanovic in the first spherical of last 12 months’s occasion.
The Swiss star, a wildcard at the 2025 occasion, then lost to fourth seed Casper Ruud.
“It’s an honour to play against Stan, especially here in Switzerland, his home country. It was an honour to share the court with him,” Ruud said afterwards.
“He’s a legend, someone I grew up watching on TV, all my childhood, and still he’s here around and challenging all the best players in the world, so it’s an honour to play him, and it was a great atmosphere.”
The 2026 Basel Open will take place from October 26 to November 1.
Joao Fonseca is the defending champion. He is unable to compete in the 2026 occasion due to harm.
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