Wawrinka Reflects on Career After Australian Open Exit
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — After his exit from the Australian Open on Saturday, Stan Wawrinka took a moment to reflect and celebrate his career with a lighthearted gesture. Following his defeat to Taylor Fritz, the Swiss tennis veteran, 40, popped open two cans of beer from a nearby cooler, shared a toast with tournament director Craig Tiley, and addressed the audience with heartfelt appreciation, exclaiming,
“Cheers everybody! And thank you so much.”
Match Highlights and Career Milestones
Wawrinka’s match ended with a scoreline of 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, marking his departure from the tournament in the third round. He first gained prominence at the 2014 Australian Open when he clinched his inaugural Grand Slam title. In a remarkable feat, during this edition of the tournament, Wawrinka became the oldest male player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since Ken Rosewall in 1978. His previous match, which stretched over 4 1/2 hours against the young French qualifier Arthur Gea, also set the record for the most five-set matches played by a player at major events—now standing at 49.
Future Plans and Farewell Sentiments
Despite announcing that the 2026 season would be his final year as a professional athlete, Wawrinka clarified that his current performances were not merely part of a farewell tour; he remains committed to training and achieving competitive results.
In his post-match ceremony at John Cain Arena, the Australian Open’s tournament director honored Wawrinka with a brief tribute on the venue’s screen.
“Today is not a final, so I won’t make it too long,”
Wawrinka said, referring to the emotional weight of his farewell. He expressed gratitude, saying,
“Thank you for the wildcard invitation … to have one last chance to say goodbye to the people in Melbourne.”
He reminisced about the profound experiences he had over his two-decade career, remarking,
“I’m sad to leave, but it’s been an amazing journey.”
With a smile, he added spontaneously,
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to share a beer with Craig.”
Fritz Advances with Respect for Wawrinka
Taylor Fritz, the No. 9 seed and 2024 U.S. Open runner-up, advanced to the fourth round to face No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti after a grueling match against Tomas Machac, which paused for 10 minutes due to the tournament’s extreme heat policy. Fritz acknowledged the challenge of facing Wawrinka in his last match, stating,
“It’s a really, really tough match obviously, the environment as well. I can’t blame anyone in the crowd for cheering for Stan here. It’s amazing what he’s out here doing. I have so much respect for the passion and the drive that it takes to be doing what he’s doing this week.”
