Stan Wawrinka played his final match on clay at the Estoril Open on July 21 and carried the same intent he has had throughout his career, fighting until the very last point. The 41-year-old managed to save three match points in the first round before losing to Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga in three sets. With that chapter now closed, his attention turned towards one stage he is most eager to return to before hanging his racquet.

“I have requested a wildcard for the US Open. I hope to play there for the last time,” Wawrinka said. “There is also a Challenger in Cancun. If I secure the invitation for New York, I will play that Challenger to get ready. I am only guaranteed to play in the Lyon and Basel tournaments. I will still decide if I play more tournaments.” 

The Swiss won the title there in 2016, defeating Novak Djokovic in four sets to win his third and final Grand Slam. US Open has been a very successful major for Wawrinka, as he has compiled a 46-16 record across 17 appearances with three semifinal appearances. This is statistically the most successful Grand Slam of his career, just ahead of Roland Garros.

Stan Wawrinka has had a long affair with clay. His first ATP Tour title came on that very surface, and he went on to win seven more of his 16 titles on the red dirt. The Estoril title in 2013 is something he describes as the beginning of the best stretch of his career. After that title, he won his first Masters title in Monte Carlo in 2014 and then went on to win his three Grand Slam titles in consecutive years. 

After his final appearance on the surface, tournament organizers marked the occasion with a commemorative gift, an imprint capturing. Wawrinka reflected warmly on what clay had meant to him throughout his career. “I grew up on clay. I grew up practising on clay and watching clay-court tournaments, so clay was always special for me,” he said. 

The 2015 Roland Garros champion was equally gracious in defeat despite falling agonizingly short of becoming the oldest man to win a clay-court match since Jimmy Connors in 1994. “No competitor likes to lose. But at the end of the day, I keep it in perspective. Having the chance to be here, with so many fans and such support, represents the best farewell I could have hoped for on clay,” Wawrinka said.

A farewell season defined by fight rather than results

The stats from Wawrinka’s farewell season tell a story of a player whose body has certainly lost its edge, though not necessarily his competitiveness. Since January, he has played 21 tour-level matches for just seven wins, including a third-round run at the Australian Open and a genuinely epic four-tie-break loss to Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon. 

After Wimbledon, the Swiss played another small stint of the clay swing, which began in his home tournament, Gstaad. Wawrinka lost in a three-set epic against Jaime Faria, but entertained his home crowd on the surface for one last time. Although his performance has dropped, the former world No. 3 has quietly achieved an impressive feat in his retirement year – securing 9 ATP Tour-level wins since turning 40, matching Ivo Karlovic’s record and needing just one more to break it.

It’s up to tournament organizers whether he will get his wish granted in New York. Other majors as part of his farewell tour, the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon each gave him a wildcard into their main draws this year, and they did not regret it. With his ranking having slipped to around world No. 118 and his win-loss record offering little argument for direct entry on merit alone, a US Open wildcard would complete the full sweep of sentimental send-offs at all four majors.