Stan “The Man” Wawrinka receives a wildcard for the 2026 Australian Open, signaling a potential goodbye at Melbourne Park, the site of his initial major victory.
Stan “The Man” Wawrinka is returning to Melbourne, and this time it’s going to be impactful.
Tennis Australia has officially granted the 40-year-old Swiss icon a wildcard for the Australian Open 2026, allowing one of the sport’s most legendary shot-makers to take a final bow on one of his most significant stages.
Tennis Australia has officially granted the 40-year-old Swiss icon a wildcard for the Australian Open 2026, allowing one of the sport’s most legendary shot-makers to take a final bow on one of his most significant stages.
Currently ranked No. 156 globally and nearing his 41st birthday, Wawrinka is a long way from his time as a three-time Grand Slam winner and a former world No. 3.
However, this choice was never about figures. It revolved around heritage. If this indeed is Wawrinka’s farewell season, it could not possibly start anywhere other than Melbourne Park.
“To me, this is everything,” Wawrinka expressed. “Being able to participate in the Australian Open at the start of my last year on tour is something truly unique.”
Melbourne occupies a special position in his narrative. In 2014, he defeated Novak Djokovic in a breathtaking final to secure his first major — a moment that established he was more than merely a side player in the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era. He went on to achieve the same against Djokovic at Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, finishing one of the most remarkable Slam hat-tricks of his era.
Injuries have affected him, and his ranking has fallen into the 150s. Yet the résumé stays unrivaled: 16 ATP titles, 582 victories at tour level, Olympic doubles gold with Roger Federer in 2008, and a vital part in Switzerland’s landmark 2014 Davis Cup success.
Together with local favorites Jordan Thompson and Chris O’Connell, Wawrinka secures one of the last wildcard entries. However, do not be fooled: everyone’s attention will be on the Swiss veteran, executing that signature one-handed backhand one final time.