"The final stand of the 'Big Four'! Wawrinka announces retirement after the 2026 season

On Friday local time, 40-year-old Swiss star Wawrinka declared on his personal social media that the 2026 season will mark the end of his professional career.

Image source: Player’s social media

Wawrinka wrote: The final battle! Life is like a book, and every story has an ending. It’s time to pen the last chapter of my tennis journey. The year 2026 will be my last on the tour.

Perseverance

Ambition

Dedication

Achievement

Injuries

Obsession

Never giving up

Discipline

Resilience

Evolution

Ambition

Memories

This sums up my entire tennis journey

I still want to push beyond limits and bring this journey to the most fulfilling conclusion. The dream of tennis still burns brightly within me, and I am grateful for everything tennis has given me, especially the emotions I feel when swinging my racket in front of you all. I look forward to one last tennis rendezvous with all of you around the world.

Wawrinka turned professional in 2002 and reached the peak of his career over a decade later. The Swiss champion won three Grand Slam titles from 2014 to 2016 — the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open — defeating Nadal once and Djokovic twice in those finals. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he partnered with Federer to win the men’s doubles gold medal and helped Switzerland claim the Davis Cup title in 2014. Over his career, Wawrinka has won 16 tour titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world.

From 2013 to 2016, Wawrinka qualified for the ATP Finals four consecutive years, reaching the semifinals three times from 2013 to 2015. The Swiss player has beaten each of the Big Three — Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic — at least three times, and has defeated former world No. 1 Murray ten times. Wawrinka currently ranks fourth among active players with 582 tour match wins, just one victory behind third-ranked Monfils (the top three are Djokovic, Cilic, and Monfils).

Wawrinka’s "flower shorts" from his 2015 French Open victory have become an iconic symbol

Photo: Li Jianyi

Although doubles has become the mainstream in modern tennis, Wawrinka’s powerful and penetrating one-handed backhand has proven that this technique can still dominate at the highest level of men’s tennis, earning a reputation as one of the greatest one-handed backhands in history.

Due to declining physical condition and competitive level, Wawrinka recorded a 4-13 win-loss record this season on the tour and is currently ranked No. 157 in the world. He will begin his final season at the United Cup in the first week of the new season.