Stan Wawrinka recently announced his retirement from tennis, and 2026 will be his last season on tour. We spoke to him after his match, where he shared his thoughts on facing Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
Wawrinka has been on tour for more than 20 years and has been part of the Big Three era. Even though he often felt frustrated losing to them, he considers himself privileged to have competed against all three in their prime.
“It was amazing to play against the big three, for sure. When you play these amazing players who have won so many Grand Slams, they really push to be a better player. It was a big challenge facing them, but I always enjoyed it,” Wawrinka begins the interview.
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Wawrinka Reflects on Facing the Big Three
Wawrinka had a total head-to-head record of 12 wins and 63 losses against the Big Three, which he also noted in the interview.
“Even though my Head To Head against them is really bad, I am happy with what I have achieved in my career so far, but of course it was always frustrating losing against them.”
Despite the losing record, Wawrinka won three Grand Slams — twice defeating Djokovic in the finals and once defeating Rafael Nadal.
“I have been really lucky to be a part of that generation and I have been lucky to be on the Tour for more than 20 years facing different generations. That is why I also enjoy playing the future of tennis like I did today.”
Wawrinka on Inspiring the Next Generation
It is fascinating to watch Wawrinka behind the scenes. Despite being 40 years old, the Swiss remains one of the favorites across generations, a fact reflected in the enthusiasm of young fans surrounding him after matches to take photos or just talk to him.
Talking to the kids is something he takes seriously, as he wants to give back to the younger generation of fans.
“For me the kids are super important, because they are a part of the fans. This is why we travel the world, to meet the fans and the kids. The kids always have a big smile on their face and they are happy to be around, so of course I always try to give back.”
“Maybe, they are the ones who will be on the court one day. That is why I want to leave them a nice message, and if you can share some moments with them, that is very important. Especially the ball kids who are always doing their best. I like spending time with them,” Wawrinka concludes the interview.
Wawrinka won today’s match against young Dutchman Thijs Boogaard and will face Australian Alex de Minaur in the next round.
A fun detail to close with: the age gap in today’s match was the second biggest since 1990. The largest came in a match between Dominic Thiem and Thomas Muster in 2011, in Vienna.
