Wawrinka and his farewell in Australia: "It has been much better than I imagined"

Raquel Bermúdez Rodríguez | 24 Jan 2026 | 12.42

Wawrinka and his farewell in Australia: "It has been much better than I imagined." Photo: Getty

Streaming French Open Women live tennis

🎾 Diana Shnaider vs McCartney Kessler

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Stan Wawrinka bid farewell to the 2026 Australian Open. The 40-year-old Swiss player left in style, toasting with a beer on court and joyfully experiencing his last participation in the first Grand Slam of the season, a stage where he has lived unique moments throughout his career.

Touched by the Australian crowd's farewell, Stan confessed that these days will also stay forever in his memory. These were Stan Wawrinka's words after being eliminated from the 2026 Australian Open.

A very special farewell for Stan Wawrinka at the 2026 Australian Open

"Despite the difficulties and physical discomfort, I am very happy because tennis-wise it was my best match. That's what I constantly aim for, to be present and strong. I didn't expect to have so many people supporting me, eager for me to stay here as long as possible, that was exceptional. I usually have a lot of people behind me, but the fact that it was my last Australian Open created a completely different atmosphere that I have never experienced before, something I didn't expect at all. This is one of the best memories of my career.

On the court, I had a mix of emotions: sadness, tiredness, but also joy. Personally, I am very happy, I had a good tournament, I was competitive, pushed my limits, won three matches. I am 40 years old, my body held up well, it was much better than I could have imagined. I am happy to see that I am capable of playing well. I made the right decision to train hard this winter, to stay competitive. I hope to maintain a good level throughout the year. That's what I love. Playing on these courts and giving my all. I will be sad, but I will try to enjoy all this energy," Stan Wawrinka confessed in his press conference.

Stan Wawrinka's Level

"My level doesn't surprise me because I know how much effort I put in to try to reach it. I think the United Cup was a perfect start because it gave me a lot of time on court against the best players. Even just winning one match, I had the opportunity to play five and dedicate a lot of time. This is exactly what I was missing last year: when you lose in the first round and have to wait one or two weeks before the next one, you quickly lose confidence in yourself to reach the level you want."

The level was fantastic. I see that I am competitive, that I feel good on court, that I can win good matches and compete against the best players. This is exactly what I seek. It doesn't change my goal for the year. It will always be to push myself to the maximum. Just because I play well in those three weeks doesn't mean I will win many matches in the coming months, but at least I know where my level is and what I can still do, and I am happy with that."