Stan Wawrinka wanted his farewell to all four majors to end on court. A last-minute US Open wild card allowed that wish to reach New York and, on Monday, August 31, the Swiss received a Grandstand goodbye that extended beyond the result. Matteo Berrettini won 7-6(4), 7-6(3), 6-0; the crowd still kept Wawrinka at the centre of the night.
It was the final major match of a career built without shortcuts. At 41, Wawrinka returned to the tournament where he debuted in 2005, completed his 18th appearance and closed the journey with 46 victories in 63 matches. He will continue through the end of the season, but there will be no other major on his professional calendar.
The performance had two layers. In the first, Wawrinka still produced the tennis that made him instantly recognisable: heavy ball-striking, the courage to accelerate and a one-handed backhand capable of changing the temperature in the stands. He recovered a break in the opening set, created chances in both of the first two and took Berrettini into two tiebreaks. In the second came the present reality: the opportunities passed, confidence did not carry the decisive points and the third set ended 6-0.
Wawrinka did not try to conceal that difference. After the match, he said the level had been high for two sets and acknowledged how difficult it becomes to finish chances when victories are less frequent. The farewell did not need to turn defeat into triumph. Its value lay in the chance to show, for one more night, the strokes and persistence that defined the career.
New York is the right place for that summary. Wawrinka reached the US Open semifinals in 2013 and 2015 before winning the title in 2016, beating Novak Djokovic in the final. The victory completed his set of three majors after the 2014 Australian Open and 2015 Roland Garros. In each of those finals, he defeated the reigning World No. 1.
That résumé carried special meaning because it emerged during the era dominated by Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Wawrinka did not collect the same number of trophies, but he opened room for a singular career: when his game reached its highest level, he beat the best players on the biggest stages. The 2016 title remains the clearest memory of that capacity.
Grandstand understood the weight of the occasion. The stadium filled, the applause followed every attempt at a comeback and the post-match ceremony allowed Wawrinka to thank New York for the energy it had given him since his first visit. He said moments like this helped explain why he played until 41 and summarised the exit without hiding the emotion: “I'm gonna miss it big time.”
Berrettini, a deserved winner who stayed firm through both tiebreaks, also became a witness to the farewell. He said he had been a child watching Wawrinka win majors and acknowledged the atmosphere the Swiss deserved. The gesture did not change who advanced to the second round; it restored the match's historical dimension.
Wawrinka leaves the majors with three titles, an unmistakable technical identity and proof that a career does not need to dominate an entire era to alter it. In New York, the 2016 champion received one final opportunity to hear that directly from the crowd.
Sources consulted: the US Open/USTA and ATP Tour. Reporting updated September 1, 2026.