Eleven years ago, Stan Wawrinka lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires after a memorable final against Novak Djokovic. In 2026, the 41-year-old Swiss returns to Porte d'Auteuil for one last ride.
"Every book needs an ending. It's time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player," Wawrinka wrote when announcing that 2026 would be his final season. Roland-Garros responded by granting him a main draw wild card, the ultimate mark of respect.
Wawrinka's history in Paris is intertwined with the tournament itself. Twenty-one appearances, a title in 2015, a runner-up finish in 2017. "I grew up on clay, grew up watching Roland-Garros dreaming about maybe playing one day. It is part of me," he told the tournament's official website.
A three-time Grand Slam champion (Australian Open 2014, Roland-Garros 2015, US Open 2016), Wawrinka belongs to the exclusive club of players who have defeated Rafael Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray at Grand Slams. Alongside Federer, he also won Olympic doubles gold at the 2008 Beijing Games and helped Switzerland claim their only Davis Cup title in 2014.
Tournament organizers have announced that a special ceremony will follow his final match on the Parisian clay. An emotional moment awaits for a man who has spent 24 years pushing boundaries on the professional tour.
After Paris, Wawrinka will continue his farewell tour through to October, when the Swiss Indoors Basel will host the very last match of his career. A fitting ending for the Lausanne native, who will close the book in front of his home crowd.
