The sun is beginning to set on one of tennis’s most storied careers. Following a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Daniil Medvedev at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday, 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka hinted that this is likely his final season on the ATP Tour.
The three-time Grand Slam champion was met with a standing ovation from the Dubai crowd, a venue where he famously lifted the trophy in 2016.
“I maximize everything I could,” Wawrinka told reporters.
While the younger generation led by Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz now dominates the headlines, the loss of Wawrinka’s iconic one-handed backhand will mark the end of an era for the sport.