ATP Tour

Wawrinka's Top 10 on-court moments

Since turning pro in 2002, Stan Wawrinka has thrilled fans around the world with his unique brand of tennis. With superb shotmaking and a cool head, he earned glorious moments throughout a 20-plus-year career that included 16 tour-level singles trophies and another 15 final appearances.

In honour of Wawrinka’s farewell, ATPTour.com brings you 10 of the Swiss’ best moments from a timeless tennis career.

1) 2014 Australian Open - First major title
After reaching three Grand Slam quarter-finals from 2010-13, Wawrinka advanced to the semis at the 2013 US Open and then went all the way to start the following season in Melbourne.

Wawrinka defeated Rafael Nadal, the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings at the time, to claim his first major title. With a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 final victory, the 28-year-old became the second Swiss man to win a major title after his good friend Roger Federer.

Stan Wawrinka celebrates his first Grand Slam title. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The eighth seed also knocked off Novak Djokovic on his run, edging the Serbian 9-7 in the fifth set of their quarter-final showdown.

"I still think that I'm dreaming," Wawrinka said after claiming the trophy. "It's a strange feeling. I saw so many finals. I always try to watch the finals of Grand Slams because that's where the best players are playing.

"Before today, for me it wasn't a dream. I never expected to play a final. I never expected to win a Grand Slam. And right now I just did it."

By winning the 2014 Australian Open crown, Wawrinka rose to a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of World No. 3.

2) 2015 Roland Garros - Second major title
Following Wawrinka’s Australian Open breakthrough, he was a constant presence deep into the Grand Slam tournaments. The 2015 season proved to be the Swiss star's best at the majors, with his Roland Garros title run the crowning moment — alongside semi-finals at the Australian Open and the US Open, and a quarter-final at Wimbledon.

In Paris, Wawrinka beat Federer, home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and World No. 1 Djokovic in the last three rounds. He lost just three sets all tournament and never needed a fifth set.

Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 Roland Garros men's singles final. Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Against Djokovic in the final, Wawrinka used his one-handed backhand to great effect en route to a famous 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory with which — for the moment — he denied Djokovic a Career Grand Slam.

“Certainly one of the best matches of my career, if not the best,” he said of his performance in the title match.

3) 2016 US Open - Third major title
Another Grand Slam final, another victory against a legendary opponent. Wawrinka added to his reputation as a big-match player by again beating Djokovic in a major final, this time in New York. Just like in the 2015 Roland Garros final, Wawrinka rallied from a set down against the Serbian in a 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 triumph.

But his 2016 US Open run nearly ended in the third round, when Wawrinka saved a match point against Daniel Evans in a five-set win.

The Swiss’ US Open crown made it three Grand Slam titles in three years, with all three of his final victories coming against reigning World No. 1s.

4) 2013-16 Nitto ATP Finals - Battling the best
Wawrinka qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for five straight seasons from 2013-17. He competed at the event four times, missing the 2017 season finale with an injury.

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych at the 2015 ATP Finals draw at London's City Hall. Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images.

Not only was Wawrinka a constant presence at the prestigious event, he was also a fixture in the knockout rounds. The Swiss advanced to the semi-finals in each of his first three appearances in London, with his biggest win coming against home favourite Andy Murray in group play in 2015.

Across his four Nitto ATP Finals appearances, Wawrinka posted a 7-8 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

5) 2014 Monte-Carlo Masters - First ATP Masters 1000 trophy
Wawrinka scored high-profile final wins against Nadal and Djokovic (twice) for his Grand Slam titles. To win his first and only ATP Masters 1000 crown, he had to go through the other member of the “Big 3” in the trophy match: Federer.

Having previously joked that he was “the Swiss tennis player who loses”, in comparison to his near-flawless countryman, Wawrinka firmly shed that moniker by winning his second “Big Title” of 2014 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Three months after lifting his first Grand Slam trophy in Melbourne, Wawrinka was again the toast of men’s tennis in Monaco.

A warm embrace between the Swiss stars followed a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 victory for Wawrinka, who picked up the second of his three Lexus ATP Head2Head wins against Federer in the final.

“It’s amazing for me. It’s always special to play against Roger, my best friend and the best player ever. It’s always difficult to play him, especially in the final,” Wawrinka said after the match. “I’m really, really happy with my match today. I did a great job and I’m enjoying it a lot.”

6) 2014 Davis Cup - Super Switzerland
Wawrinka capped his standout 2014 season by helping Switzerland to the country’s first Davis Cup title. In the final against France, Wawrinka scored a singles win against Tsonga then paired with Federer for a doubles victory against Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau.

With Wawrinka waiting in the wings for a potential decisive fifth rubber, Federer clinched a 3-1 tie victory for Switzerland with a singles win against Gasquet.

“It's an amazing feeling, the best,” Wawrinka said of watching Federer secure the title for Switzerland. “We all know how it's great to watch such an amazing player when he's playing good tennis.”

7. 2008 Beijing Olympics
The 2014 Davis Cup title was not Wawrinka’s first moment of glory while playing for Switzerland on the international stage. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he and Federer teamed to win men’s doubles gold.

The Swiss duo defeated Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the semi-finals before winning the gold-medal match in four sets against the Swedish team of Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson. After clinching gold, they soaked in the moment with a big hug and an iconic celebration, with Federer warming his hands over the red-hot Wawrinka, who had dropped to the floor.

Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer celebrate their Beijing Olympic gold. Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images.

"I was extremely happy," Wawrinka recalled years later in a 2016 interview. "Being able to share that moment with Roger and celebrate as a team was amazing.

"Winning this medal was one of the happiest moments in my career so far. I've enjoyed it a lot and will never forget that."

8. 2016-17 Geneva - Home Glory
Of Wawrinka’s 16 tour-level titles, two of the biggest for him personally came on home soil in Geneva. The Lausanne native repeated as champion at the Swiss ATP 250 event in 2016 and 2017.

Wawrinka beat Marin Cilic as the top seed in the 2016 final and backed up that result with a win against Mischa Zverev in the 2017 trophy match — one of two comeback victories in his title defence.

Stan Wawrinka reacts after winning a big point in the 2016 Geneva final. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images.

His 2017 Geneva title was the last of his 16 tour-level  crowns — though he went on to reach five more finals, including that year at Roland Garros (l. to Nadal), and more recently in 2023 at Umag.

9. 2013 Australian Open - An unforgettable clash
Even if it ended in defeat, Wawrinka’s epic five-setter with Novak Djokovic at the 2013 Australian Open stands up as one of the Swiss’s most memorable matches — and one of the efforts that will leave him with the strongest sense of pride.

Wawrinka led 6-2, 5-2 in a fourth-round match that ultimately ended at 1:41 a.m., with Djokovic escaping with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10 win after more than five hours. It was Djokovic’s 18th consecutive victory in Melbourne.

The Serbian would stretch that run to 25 match wins at the Australian Open, before Wawrinka took his revenge by turning the tables in the 2014 quarter-finals en route to his first Grand Slam title.

10. 2006 Umag - Stan's maiden moment
Wawrinka won the first of his 16 tour-level titles in Umag in 2006, when he beat Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro on the way to a final showdown against none other than Djokovic.

The Swiss won three consecutive three-setters — all 6-4 in the third — to reach his second ATP Tour final. With Wawrinka and Djokovic locked in a first-set tie-break, the Serbian retired from the championship match with breathing problems.

Stan Wawrinka in the 2006 Umag final. Photo by Stringer/AFP via Getty Images.

In a full-circle moment, Wawrinka returned to Umag in 2023 for the first time in 16 years. The former champion turned back the clock to reach the final without losing a set. He won nine consecutive sets in the tournament, including the opener against Alexei Popyrin in the final, ultimately finishing runner-up.