Stan Wawrinka opens his final tournament at the Swiss Indoors in Basel

Final week in Basel

Stan Wawrinka, 41, is playing the Swiss Indoors in Basel this week, the last tournament of his professional career. He arrived in the city on Sunday, 25 October, and was due to train that evening with Novak Djokovic. According to Le Temps, his career spans 25 years on the professional ATP circuit and includes 16 ATP titles, three Grand Slam titles, a Davis Cup and an Olympic gold medal. He will leave the tour as the highest-ranked Swiss player, a point Le Temps stresses. Wawrinka has described the decision as his own, carefully considered, and said he is glad the career ends in Switzerland.

Speaking to RTS, Wawrinka said he was very happy to finish his career at home.

“I am very happy to be able to finish in Switzerland, in Basel.”

Ceremony and first-round match

A farewell ceremony is scheduled for Monday, 26 October, at 18:00 on the centre court of the St. Jakobshalle, where the tournament will honour him. Blick reports that Roger Brennwald, whom the newspaper interviewed about the event, said Wawrinka had phoned him in spring to ask about a farewell in Basel. Many friends and family members are expected at the ceremony and the match, although Wawrinka said he has not counted them. The first-round match against Czech player Jiri Lehecka, 24, takes place on Tuesday, 27 October, and will be Wawrinka's 985th singles match on the ATP tour, possibly his last. The two players have never met before, and RTS plans live coverage on RTS 2 from 18:00.

Basel record and Djokovic

Basel has been the least productive tournament of Wawrinka's career. In his appearances there, he reached two semifinals, in 2006 and 2011, never reached the final, and lost nine times in his opening match. Blick notes that he and Djokovic have met 27 times, with Wawrinka winning six, including one final each at the French Open and the US Open. The two are scheduled to train together on Sunday evening before the ceremony.

Semifinals reached2

Finals reached0

First-round exits9

Semifinals reached

2

Finals reached

0

First-round exits

9

Data from the article text

Emotions and what follows

Wawrinka has described mixed feelings about the week, combining sadness with happiness, joy and satisfaction at being able to play once more in Basel. Asked by Blick whether the end frightened him, he answered:

“No. It makes me a little sad. Because when you love something, you do not want it to stop.”

Le Temps describes him as ready to stop, but not necessarily prepared for the first days of life after tennis. The 27 October match against Lehecka is set to be his 985th singles match on the tour, and possibly his last.