Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka brought the curtain down on his 24-year professional career on Tuesday, losing 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) to Czech Jiri Lehecka in the first round of the Basel Open in his home country of Switzerland.
The 41-year-old had announced earlier in the season that the ATP 500 event in Basel would be his last tournament. The home crowd cheered every point he won and his trademark one-handed backhands, but Lehecka broke serve in the 11th game to take the first set and then controlled the second-set tie-break. Wawrinka did a lap of the court to thank fans before leaving for the last time.
The former world number three was, along with Andy Murray, the only player to win multiple majors during the era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He won the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, and also won the Davis Cup and 2008 Olympic doubles gold alongside Federer.
Fans will get one more chance to see him play on December 19 in Geneva, at a farewell exhibition billed 'One last backhand' featuring Federer and Murray.