Wawrinka bows out in Basel as Lehecka ends a 25-year career

The final chapter has been written. Stan Wawrinka played the last match of his professional career on Tuesday night at the Swiss Indoors, falling 7-5, 7-6(2) to eighth seed Jiří Lehečka in the first round in Basel. According to the Swiss daily 20 Minuten, the final point was played at 23:01 local time inside a sold-out St. Jakobshalle, where the crowd had chanted "Allez Stan" throughout the evening.

The 41-year-old had announced long ago that Basel would mark the end of the line, and the tournament built its week around him. The ATP reported that a farewell ceremony was scheduled for Monday at St. Jakobshalle, a day after Wawrinka had been honoured at half-time of FC Basel's league match against Grasshoppers. It was his 19th and final appearance at the Swiss Indoors.

A fight to the very end

Wawrinka, now ranked outside the top 100, did not go quietly. Facing a player 17 years his junior and ranked 21st in the world, he served solidly and produced several of the signature one-handed backhands down the line that made him one of the most feared hitters of his generation. Swiss reports noted that the backhand also let him down in longer rallies, and over roughly two hours Lehečka kept his nerve in both critical moments: he snatched the first set 7-5 and then dominated the tie-break 7-2.

It was the first and only meeting between the two. For Jiří Lehečka, who reached the final of the ATP 500 event in Tokyo earlier this autumn, the win keeps a strong indoor swing going.The 24-year-old moves on to the second round of an ATP 500 field in which he is one of the eight seeds.

"The perfect ending"

Wawrinka was in tears during his on-court interview but insisted that the setting could not have been better. "For me, this is the perfect ending," he said, as quoted by 20 Minuten. "My feelings are mixed right now, but deep down I am very happy." Looking back on everything he achieved, he added: "I would never have dreamed of this earlier."

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He has every reason to be proud. Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014, Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016 — three major titles earned in an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 3, took Olympic doubles gold with Federer in Beijing in 2008 and was a key part of the Switzerland team that won the Davis Cup in Lille in 2014. Tennis Now puts his tally of tour-level singles titles at 16.

Even in his forties he kept setting marks. According to the ATP, Wawrinka holds the record for the most tour-level match wins after turning 40, with 12 victories since March 2025.

What comes next

Wawrinka, who received a standing ovation at his final press conference, said he plans to spend more time on the ski slopes with his daughter Alexia — something his professional schedule never allowed. He is not quite finished with tennis, though: he intends to stay in shape for an exhibition in Geneva on 19 December, which is likely to be his last appearance on court in front of a Swiss crowd.