Stan Wawrinka is back and rewriting the record books. The Swiss star announced that the 2026 season would be his last. “ONE LAST PUSH,” Wawrinka wrote last month, marking the end of a two-decade-long career decorated with three Grand Slam titles. Before setting sail on his final Australian Open campaign, Wawrinka is proudly representing Switzerland at the United Cup. And he’s already making waves.

On Saturday, Wawrinka kicked off the final season of his career with a dramatic three-set thriller at the United Cup. The 40-year-old Swiss veteran outlasted France’s Arthur Rinderknech 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5) in a battle that stretched nearly three and a half hours. His victory handed Switzerland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie, following teammate Belinda Bencic’s earlier win.

That’s not all! With this win at 40, Wawrinka reached another incredible milestone in his storied career. His latest triumph means he has now won a tour-level match in 23 different seasons, tying Rafael Nadal for fourth place in the Open Era. Only Jimmy Connors (25 seasons), Roger Federer (24), and Richard Gasquet (24) have managed more. That’s company any legend would be proud of.

A pretty good start to the 2026 season for Wawrinka, right? After a tough few months, the Swiss veteran finally got a win under his belt and he’s feeling good about it. The victory, his first of the new season, came as a welcome boost for the 40-year-old as he begins his farewell year on tour.

“Today was a tough battle . . . it’s amazing to come here for the first time, to have so much support,” Wawrinka said after the match. “Twenty years on tour, you kind of always play in the same place and tournaments. So for me it’s amazing to have this opportunity this year to play in Perth.”

Before stepping onto the court for his opener, Wawrinka had set a clear goal for his final season: to climb back into the top 100. Once ranked as high as world No. 3 after winning the 2014 Australian Open, the Swiss star is determined to finish his journey on his own terms.

“I’m happy with the decision (to retire) and feeling at peace with that,” Stan Wawrinka said. Those words carried the calm of a player who knows what he’s done for the sport and what’s left to give.

And when asked about Roger Federer’s retirement a year ago, Wawrinka spoke honestly about how the moment affected him.

Stan Wawrinka reflects on ‘risk of injury’ ahead of retirement

Three years ago, knee injuries ended Roger Federer’s story sooner than fans hoped. The Swiss legend’s comeback was delayed several times, and when the body refused to cooperate, he finally decided to call it a career at the 2022 Laver Cup. As Stan Wawrinka begins his own farewell year, the question about following a similar path naturally came up.

“Yeah, that’s the most challenging part when you get older in sport as an athlete,” he said. “The risk of injury are always getting higher and higher, especially after 35 years old. I got enough injuries the last few years. I’m happy.”

Stan Wawrinka knows what pain feels like. Knee and foot injuries have haunted him since 2017, forcing multiple surgeries and long months of recovery. His battle-tested body has carried the scars of those years, but his love for tennis never wavered.

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“I’m feeling good, and that’s also one of my goals is to be able to finish by playing tennis and not to have to finish after 20 years with an injury. That’s also one of the reasons why I came to the point that I wanted to be in my last year is to finish on a good note. Hopefully, it’s going to be like that.”

Those words carry the conviction of a champion who has done it all. A three-time Grand Slam winner, Wawrinka lifted titles at the 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open, matching Andy Murray’s count during the dominance of tennis’s “Big Three.” Now, at 40, many wonder what keeps him going. His answer is simple and pure tennis wisdom:

“There’s no trick in sport, unfortunately. If not, we would all have it,” he said. “It’s many things together. The passion of the sport. I always tried to do the right thing since the beginning of my career. I always played the long game, always did some sacrifice some tournaments, not to overplay tournaments when I was younger. Always look for a long-term career.”

Currently at the United Cup, that same passion is driving him once more. Switzerland beat France to advance, and Stan Wawrinka looks fired up. Can Stan lead his country to a team victory on his farewell lap? Let us know what you think in the comments below!