BASEL : Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka brought his 24-year professional tennis career to an end on Tuesday, losing 7-5 7-6(2) to Czech Jiri Lehecka in front of home fans at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.
The 41-year-old Swiss, who announced last year that he would retire at the end of the 2026 season, bowed out after a career that included three major singles titles, an Olympic gold medal and a Davis Cup triumph.
Wawrinka claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2014 Australian Open, defeating Rafa Nadal in the final, before beating Novak Djokovic to win the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open.
“For me, all I wanted in my career was to give everything, to have no regrets, to always fight, to always give 100% in every match,” Wawrinka told the ATP website.
“That was always the most important thing for more than 20 years, and that’s the only way you can leave the sport: without any regrets.”
Wawrinka won 16 ATP singles titles and reached a career-high world ranking of number three in 2014.
He also partnered Roger Federer to win Olympic doubles gold at the 2008 Beijing Games and helped Switzerland claim their first Davis Cup title in 2014.
His final appearance in Basel marked the end of a distinguished career spanning more than two decades.
