Wawrinka: "I don't want to retire, but I know it's time to stop"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 1 Jul 2026 | 00.39

Stan Wawrinka, excited after leaving Wimbledon 2026. Photo: gettyimages

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Stan Wawrinka played his last match at Wimbledon on Tuesday. The Swiss fell in four closely contested sets against Matteo Berrettini, bringing an end to a story of over two decades at the All England Club, where he reached the quarterfinals twice. His emotional reflections in the press conference are goosebump-inducing.

After the match, Stan Wawrinka delivered one of the most emotional press conferences of the tournament. The three-time Grand Slam champion recalled his best moments in London, explained why he never fully adapted to grass, revealed the nice gesture Berrettini had after the match, and candidly talked about how he is facing the final months of his career and life after tennis.

Stan Wawrinka bids farewell to Wimbledon and reflects on the end of his career

Wawrinka recalls the emotion of Wimbledon: "Twenty years later, I still feel the same"

The Swiss acknowledged that leaving Wimbledon for the last time holds a very special meaning due to everything the tournament represents for any tennis player. "It was a great match, with an incredible atmosphere. I am very grateful to have received an invitation and had the opportunity to play tonight. Returning to Court 1 to face Matteo, who is also a great friend, was very special.

Wimbledon is always different. Since you are a child, you watch it on TV and dream of playing here. The first time you arrive, you feel an emotion very difficult to describe just by walking around the club. The most beautiful thing is that, more than twenty years later, I still feel exactly the same every time I come back. I think it is something unique for our sport, both for the players and the fans."

Wawrinka's overwhelming emotion

The farewell was filled with emotion from the first to the last moment. Wawrinka admitted that, although it is hard to accept the end of his career, he feels that the time has come to close that chapter.

"I don't want to retire, but I know it's time to stop. One of the reasons I kept playing for so long was to experience nights like this. I am very grateful to have received an invitation and to have the opportunity to play one last time at Wimbledon. It is a very special tournament. When you are a child, you always dream of being able to play here someday, and I have had the privilege of doing it for so many years. It is never easy to say goodbye to something you love so much. I have always felt a huge passion for this sport.

I couldn't have imagined a better farewell. Thank you for all these years and for all the support," said an emotional Stan, before also congratulating Matteo Berrettini: "I gave everything tonight. It was a great battle. Matteo is a great friend, a great person, and he deserved the victory."

Stan leaves without regrets

Although he won three Grand Slams on other surfaces, Wawrinka admitted that grass never fully suited his style of play. "I never came to a Grand Slam thinking that I had to win that tournament. I always arrived with the intention of doing the best I could. At Wimbledon, I reached the quarterfinals a couple of times and I am proud of it.

Grass was always a special challenge for my tennis and also for my way of building confidence. I need to play many matches to start finding sensations, and for many years, there were barely two weeks of preparation on grass.

On this surface, if you hesitate for a moment or do not fully trust your game, you pay for it immediately. I think that was one of the reasons why I never managed to go further. But, honestly, I feel I did everything I could and I am very satisfied with what I achieved here."

Matteo Berrettini's emotional gesture towards Wawrinka after the final point

One of the most emotional moments of the night came when Berrettini returned to the court to hand back one of Wawrinka's towels before leaving Court 1 for good. "Matteo picked up my towel from the court and came back to give it to me. He said, 'Don't forget this. It's your last Wimbledon.' It was a very nice gesture on his part."

Wawrinka already thinking about his retirement: "I want to close the book and rest"

The Swiss confirmed that he remains focused on competing during the last months of his career, although he acknowledges that the wear accumulated over more than twenty years is starting to show. "It has been a good year, and yes, it will be my last year as a professional. My goal is still to compete at the highest level in every tournament, try to win matches, and end the season in the best possible way.

Being a professional tennis player requires a lot of energy, discipline, and time. And at 41 years old, everything is much more difficult than it seems. Each training session is a challenge, and you need to work much harder than when you were young. That's why when the season ends, the first thing I want to do is close this chapter, rest a bit, enjoy my home, my family, and my friends before starting to think about what's next."

Wawrinka's future plans after leaving tennis

Asked about the possibility of becoming a coach or taking on another role within the circuit, Wawrinka made it clear that the time has not yet come. "I have always liked talking about tennis and sharing my experience with younger players. If I can help in any way, I will gladly do it. It's something I've always enjoyed during my career.

Coaching? In the short term, definitely not. In a few years, I don't know, but right now, it's not something I am considering. I have many ideas for the future, but it is still too early to talk about them. First, I need to finish my career and disconnect a bit. When the time comes, you will know."

The support received from fans by Wawrinka, one of the great gifts of his career

Wawrinka also wanted to thank the support received throughout the night, especially from the younger fans. "Seeing so many kids cheering for me is probably one of the best feelings an athlete can experience. One of the reasons I have kept playing for so many years has been precisely because of the fans and all the emotions we have shared together.

Tonight was very special again. The atmosphere was amazing, and doing it in front of a great friend like Matteo made everything even more meaningful."

The defeat against Matteo Berrettini definitively closed the chapter of Stan Wawrinka at Wimbledon, but it did not tarnish the legacy of one of the great champions of his generation. There are still some tournaments before putting an end to his career, although the Swiss already has a clear idea of what the first step will be when that time comes: closing the book on professional tennis, resting, and enjoying, for the first time in over two decades, a life without the frantic pace of the circuit.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Wawrinka: "No quiero retirarme, pero sé que es hora de parar"

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