It’s over. Stan Wawrinka, at 41 years old, played his final Grand Slam match on Monday at the US Open, falling to Matteo Berrettini with a 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 scoreline. This wasn’t just another loss, it was the closing chapter on a legendary career, played out on the Grandstand court in Flushing, NY.
The Last Stand for “Stan The Man”
Man, the atmosphere must have been electric, even in defeat. Wawrinka’s fans packed every inch of that Grandstand court, hanging on every moment, probably screaming for one more ridiculous down-the-line backhand or one of those signature fist pumps. You know the one, finger pointed to the temple after a huge point. But even with all that energy, those “Let’s go Stan” chants eventually faded as Berrettini closed it out. After the handshake, Wawrinka walked to the middle of the court, clapped his hands, and tapped his heart. You could just feel it. His voice cracked, telling everyone, “I’m gonna miss it for sure,” and then, “I’m gonna miss it.” It just hits you different when you hear a warrior like that say goodbye.
Crashing the GOATs’ Party Like It Was Nothing
Listen, Wawrinka isn’t retiring because he lost the love for the game, or because he didn’t want to grind anymore. Nah, the source says it’s because pro tennis is a “finite resource” he finally drained dry. And what a resource it was for him! From 2014 to 2016, this dude wasn’t just good, he was *the* guy who dared to step into the ring with The Big Three and walk out with trophies. He won an Australian Open, a French Open, and a US Open, beating Novak Djokovic twice and Rafael Nadal once in those finals. Think about that for a second. In an era where a handful of players dominated *everything*, this barrel-chested tank of a man just showed up and crashed the party. He was literally one of Djokovic’s worst nightmares at his peak, and that resume is gonna age like the expensive red wine he apparently enjoys. Even when his ranking slipped, he was out there playing Challengers in places like Perugia, Italy and Iasi, Romania, just trying to keep going. That’s pure heart right there.
An Era Fades Out
While Wawrinka officially sticks around until October for the Swiss Indoors, his final Grand Slam match in New York really felt like the real goodbye. It’s truly the “end of an era” across tennis this season. We’ve seen Djokovic physically fading and dropping in the first round, Nadal dealing with injuries and his own “painful final year,” and Federer getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. Guys like Kei Nishikori are stepping away too. It’s a changing of the guard, but Wawrinka’s departure hits different because he never physically broke down like the others. He just kept showing up, kept fighting, right until the very end of his “finite resource.” We’re gonna miss watching that one-handed backhand paint the lines, that’s sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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