And just like that, Stan Wawrinka’s Grand Slam career is over. After more than 20 years, the Swiss legend walked off a major court for the final time in New York, knowing there would be no next Slam and no final comeback, only goodbye.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“For me, it’s been more than 20 years since the first time I came here to New York… I’d like to thank the tournament for the wildcard. For me, this opportunity to finish here was really meaningful from my side,” said the 2016 US Open winner.
“It was important for me to have the opportunity to finish the 4th Grand Slam, here in New York, ten years after winning… I really want to thank you all for all those years of support,” said Wawrinka, thanking the fans for backing him through the years.
Stan Wawrinka’s final US Open appearance ended with a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 0-6 loss to Matteo Berrettini on Monday. The 41-year-old had almost missed the tournament after initially being snubbed a wildcard spot for his final Grand Slam. Patrick Kypson’s injury withdrawal opened the door, allowing Wawrinka to return to New York for one last appearance.
The timing mattered because the Swiss won the 2016 US Open here, defeating Novak Djokovic for his third major title. And 10 years later, he was going to get to say goodbye, the way he wanted.
That made the match against Berrettini about more than the result, especially after their close Wimbledon battle earlier this year. Stan Wawrinka pushed Berrettini through two tiebreaks before the Italian ran away with the third set. When the final point ended, the Grandstand crowd stayed behind Wawrinka with chants and loud applause.
His voice then cracked during the ceremony as he admitted he would miss New York. After 20 years of memories, the US Open finally gave Stan Wawrinka the goodbye he wanted.
The story is still developing….