Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka announced that the 2026 season will be his final year as a professional tennis player. The former world No. 3 confirmed the decision as he prepares to begin his final season at the United Cup in Perth on Jan. 2.

Wawrinka was one of the few players able to break through during the era dominated by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. He won all three of his major titles by defeating members of the sport’s elite, beating Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final before taking down Djokovic to win the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open. In each of his Grand Slam finals, Wawrinka defeated a world No. 1, a rare feat that underscored his ability to rise to the biggest moments.

Turning professional in 2002, Wawrinka won 16 tour-level singles titles, including a Masters 1000 title at Monte Carlo in 2014. Known for his one-handed backhand, Wawrinka also earned Olympic gold in doubles alongside Federer at the 2008 Beijing Games and helped Switzerland secure its lone Davis Cup title in 2014.

Wawrinka is one of only three players to defeat Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Andy Murray at Grand Slam events, further cementing his legacy as one of the toughest competitors of his generation. His last singles title came in 2017, and persistent injuries in recent years have contributed to a drop outside the top 150 in the rankings.

Now 40 and set to turn 41 in March, Wawrinka will spend 2026 playing his final matches on tour, beginning in Perth.