Stan Wawrinka Unsure About Australian Open Wild Card in Farewell Year
Former World No.3 Stan Wawrinka won and lost one match in the ongoing United Cup.
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Stan Wawrinka (Image via X/TNT Sports)
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The 2026 tennis season is Stan Wawrinka‘s farewell year. The Swiss veteran is in Perth for the United Cup, which got underway on January 2.
Wawrinka has made it clear that he will continue to give his all in matches. In his first match of the farewell year, the 40-year-old secured a hard-fought three-set win over Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech.
But he couldn’t repeat the same when he was up against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, losing the match in three sets. Switzerland, however, went on to win the match thanks to Belinda Bencic‘s straight-set win over Jasmine Paolini, as well as their mixed doubles victory. The pair of Bencic and Jakub Paul went past Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
Following Switzerland’s win, Wawrinka revealed at the press conference that he had yet to receive a wild card for the Australian Open. Wawrinka is a former winner of the Melbourne Major, lifting his career’s first Grand Slam title in 2014 by going past Rafael Nadal.
I’m taking it week by week. I’m very grateful to all the tournaments that give me the opportunity to play. I’ll also be in Auckland, but right now I don’t have an invitation for the 2026 Australian Open.
Wawrinka, a former No.3, currently stands in the 157th spot, which only means that he will not be getting a direct entry into the main draw, and he needs to play the qualifiers or get a wild card. Bencic, who was also with Wawrinka during the press conference, said she couldn’t understand why the Australian Open is waiting to give the wild card to her compatriot.
I don’t know what they’re waiting for to give it to him.
Belinda Bencic said
After his successful campaign in 2014, Wawrinka made two semifinals in Melbourne in 2015 and 2017. He lifted his next two Majors at the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.
Wawrinka made another Grand Slam final at the 2017 French Open, losing that match to Nadal. Last year at the Australian Open, Wawrinka failed to progress to the second round after a four-set defeat to Lorenzo Sonego. The Australian Open starts on January 18. World No.2 Jannik Sinner will enter the tournament as the two-time defending champion.
Stan Wawrinka wants to give his best on his farewell tour
The fact that Stan Wawrinka is willing to produce his best in spite of being 40 only shows how much he loves tennis. Wawrinka wants to feel relaxed while playing, but his competitive spirit doesn’t let him do so.
I wish I could play relaxed, letting my arm loose and without putting so much pressure on myself. I love competing too much not to feel tension; I think sometimes I care too much about what happens on the court, but I love this sport, and I want to fight until the end. The atmosphere is incredible; the people are giving me the energy I need to perform at my best.
Stan Wawrinka said at the press conference
Switzerland have booked a spot in the quarterfinals and will next be locking horns with Greece. Wawrinka will be meeting Stefanos Tsitsipas, while Belinda Bencic will face Maria Sakkari. The three-time Grand Slam finalist lost one match he played against Wawrinka. They met in the fourth round of the 2019 Roland Garros, which Wawrinka won in five sets.
The last time Wawrinka won a tour-level title was at the 2017 Geneva Open, where he defeated Mischa Zverev, and since then, he has made four finals. The 16-time ATP titlist last featured in a final at the 2023 Croatia Open, where Alexei Popyrin defeated him.
Also read: Belinda Bencic Sides with Iga Swiatek, Considers ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Match as ‘Something Else’
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