Fan favorite Stan Wawrinka’s fairytale run at the Australian Open came to an emotional end on Saturday. The 40-year-old bowed out in the third round after a hard-fought loss to Taylor Fritz, falling 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to the ninth seed at John Cain Arena. With this match marking the final Australian Open campaign of his career, the moment was heavy, and tears flowed as the former champion prepared to say goodbye to Melbourne.

Wawrinka sat on his bench after the match, visibly emotional, before being invited to address the crowd that had cheered him on for two decades. He first turned his attention to his opponent, offering warm praise. “He’s an amazing player,” Wawrinka said. “He’s a tough fighter to play against. So congrats to him and his team.”

Then came the message everyone was waiting for – his goodbye to the fans. “The atmosphere was again unbelievable,” he said. “So, guys, thank you for always showing up.”

Ranked No. 139 in the world, Stan Wawrinka needed a wildcard to make what would be his final appearance at Melbourne Park, and he truly made it count. After the match, he made sure to personally thank Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley for giving him that opportunity.

“Thank you for the wildcard invitation, not the first time,” Wawrinka said. “It meant a lot when you gave me this chance to have one last moment to say goodbye to the people here in Melbourne. I also want to congratulate you for everything you’ve done for tennis, for the sport, for the players, and for the fans.”

He then praised the tournament itself and the people behind the scenes. “This tournament keeps getting better every year. It’s been amazing. There’s an incredible team working behind the doors, so I just want to thank everyone for making the players feel so welcome. Unfortunately, this was my last time here as a tennis player.”

Wawrinka grew even more emotional as he reflected on his history in Melbourne. “I’ve had so many emotions here over the last 20 years because of you guys. It’s been an amazing journey. I won my first Grand Slam here. I always loved coming back and always felt so much support.”

He finished with a heartfelt message about why he kept playing for so long. “The reason I was still playing is because of you, because of the love for the game and the emotions you gave me. I’m sad to leave, but it’s been an amazing journey.”

He then wrapped things up by sharing a beer with Tiley, smiling as he said, “Cheers, everybody, and thank you so much.”

Stan Wawrinka leaves his opponent in awe, even in defeat

Wawrinka came out strong to start the second set, holding off Taylor Fritz and then breaking serve in a classic two-game swing. He mixed things up beautifully, pulling Fritz forward with drop shots, ripping his one-handed backhand, and blasting a forehand down the line to go up 5-2.

A year ago in Melbourne, Fritz had lost in this same round to another veteran, Gael Monfils. This time, though, the third set felt a lot like the opening of the match, with both players holding serve comfortably. At 3-3, Fritz adjusted his return position, and it paid off right away as he earned a crucial break.

After Wawrinka took a medical timeout, it felt like the momentum had fully shifted. Still, the Swiss star wasn’t done entertaining. He flashed a smile after winning the fifth game and then lit up the crowd again with a thunderous one-handed backhand that brought one of the loudest cheers of the night when Fritz was suddenly down 15-30.

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Fritz answered in style, firing down two huge serves and finishing with a massive forehand to escape the danger. The two, who practiced together at the United Cup, shared a few words at the net, and Fritz respectfully stepped back to let Wawrinka soak in the moment.

After the match, Fritz made it clear how much admiration he has for his opponent. “I can’t blame anyone in the crowd for cheering for Stan here,” he said. “It’s amazing what he’s out here doing. I have so much respect for the passion and the drive it takes to be doing what he’s doing.”

With the win, Fritz moves on to face fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 16 on Monday. As for Wawrinka, the 2014 champion leaves Melbourne Park with a remarkable 45-19 career record there, built over 20 Australian Open appearances.