Twenty-three years after Stan Wawrinka first stepped onto the red clay in Gstaad, the Swiss champion returned for one last fight at the tournament where his professional journey began.
A packed Roy Emerson Arena watched the 41-year-old battle Portugal’s Jaime Faria for two hours and 38 minutes. Wawrinka fired 16 aces, claimed a tense opening set and repeatedly brought the home crowd to its feet. Faria eventually recovered to win 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-4.
The loss ended Wawrinka’s final competitive appearance at the Swiss Open Gstaad. He had already exited the doubles competition alongside Jérôme Kym, making the singles contest his last match at the venue.
Wawrinka will continue playing until the end of the 2026 season. Still, this goodbye carried unusual weight. Gstaad had welcomed him as an unknown teenager. It now sent him away as a three-time major champion and one of Switzerland’s greatest players.
Faria Withstands Wawrinka’s Final Charge
Wawrinka did not approach the match like a ceremonial exhibition.
His serve still landed with force, producing 16 aces and repeatedly rescuing him from difficult positions. He attacked with the familiar one-handed backhand whenever Faria left a ball short, driving through the clay and giving the crowd flashes of the player who once troubled the sport’s dominant champions.
Neither man found a break in the opening set. Wawrinka then outlasted Faria 10-8 in a tense tiebreak, sealing the set as the noise around the court rose.
For a while, the match followed his preferred pattern. Points remained short enough for Wawrinka to dictate, while his first serve kept Faria from establishing a comfortable return position.
Faria adjusted without losing patience.
The Portuguese player began extending rallies and forcing Wawrinka to hit extra shots from behind the baseline. He also defended all six break points he faced. Rather than relying on one spectacular winner, Faria survived those moments through controlled serving, steady depth and disciplined court coverage.
The physical demands began to show as the match moved beyond two hours. Wawrinka continued to swing freely, but Faria made fewer mistakes and protected his lead in both closing sets.
Two identical 6-4 scores completed the comeback.
Skis, Swiss Flags and a Final Ovation
The match ended at the net. The farewell began moments later.
Wawrinka remained on court as tournament officials prepared a tribute. Supporters stood, waved Swiss flags and applauded a player they had watched return to Gstaad across more than two decades.
Organizers presented him with a pair of custom skis carrying a tennis-inspired design and a reference to his famous “Stan the Man” nickname. The gift connected the mountain setting with the identity Wawrinka had built during his career.
“Just the fact that so many people came out on a Tuesday is special,” Wawrinka told the crowd.
His response mixed appreciation with the frustration of a competitor who still wanted another match. The ceremony may have marked a farewell, but Wawrinka had spent the previous two hours trying to delay it.
A tribute video included messages from Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and other players from across the ATP Tour. They recognized his major titles, his durability and the influence of his game on the generation that followed him.
The crowd did not need a trophy presentation to celebrate him. Fans had come to thank their homegrown champion.
Gstaad Watched His Career Take Shape
Wawrinka made his ATP Tour debut in Gstaad in 2003.
Two years later, at the age of 20, he reached his first tour final at the same tournament. Gaston Gaudio defeated him, but the run offered an early indication of the strength and resolve that would later define Wawrinka’s career.
He never won the Gstaad singles title. That absence did little to weaken his connection with the event.
Wawrinka returned 14 times, long after he had become an international star. In 2023, he finally collected a trophy at the tournament by winning the doubles title with Dominic Stricker.
His final appearance included both singles and doubles. Wawrinka and Kym lost 6-4, 7-5 to Marcelo Demoliner and Robert Galloway before Faria ended his singles campaign the following day.
With both defeats, Wawrinka’s competitive history in Gstaad reached its conclusion.
A Career That Stood Apart
Wawrinka built a career worthy of lasting recognition.
He won 16 ATP Tour titles and climbed to World No. 3. Alongside Roger Federer, he captured Olympic doubles gold for Switzerland in 2008. Six years later, he helped the country win its first Davis Cup title.
His three major championships secured his place among the finest players of his era.
Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014, Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016. Each final victory came against the reigning World No. 1. At his best, he combined immense power with the confidence to attack opponents few players could trouble.
Gstaad saw him before any of that happened.
The tournament welcomed a teenage prospect in 2003 and said goodbye to a national sporting figure in 2026. Faria earned the final victory, but the afternoon belonged to Wawrinka.
He left the court carrying a new pair of skis, the applause of a home crowd and 23 years of memories from the place where his ATP journey began.
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FAQs
Why was Stan Wawrinka’s Gstaad farewell so important?
Gstaad hosted his ATP Tour debut in 2003 and his first tour final in 2005. His 2026 appearance closed a 23-year connection.
Who defeated Stan Wawrinka in his final Gstaad match?
Jaime Faria defeated Wawrinka 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-4 after the Swiss player won the opening set.
Did Stan Wawrinka ever win the Swiss Open Gstaad?
He never won the singles title. Wawrinka and Dominic Stricker captured the tournament’s doubles championship in 2023.
What farewell gift did Stan Wawrinka receive in Gstaad?
Tournament organizers presented him with custom skis referencing his famous “Stan the Man” nickname.
When will Stan Wawrinka retire from professional tennis?
Wawrinka plans to retire after completing the 2026 season.
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