Full Breakdown
Stan Wawrinka Bids Farewell at Roland Garros with First-Round Exit
5/25/2026, 9:33:52 PM
Final Match and Retirement Announcement
On May 25, 2026, 41-year-old Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka played his 21st and final appearance at the French Open. He lost to Dutch lucky-loser Jesper de Jong on Court Simonne-Mathieu, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in just over three hours. He had been slated to meet rising French player Arthur Fils, who withdrew with a hip issue. Wawrinka confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2026 season.
French Open Legacy and Career Highlights
Wawrinka’s 2015 Roland Garros triumph remains his sole French Open title, complementing Grand Slam victories at the 2014 Australian Open and 2016 US Open. He also won Olympic doubles gold in 2008, a Davis Cup for Switzerland in 2014, and holds a 46-20 career record at Roland Garros.
Match Statistics and On-Court Details
The match featured a 33 °C (91 °F) Parisian heat. De Jong, ranked world No. 106, secured a decisive forehand winner to break in the fourth set. Wawrinka captured the second set, but the Dutch player broke again at 5-4 to close the contest. Overall, the contest lasted just over three hours.
Fan and Court Atmosphere
An ovation erupted on Court Simonne-Mathieu; Wawrinka prompted a Mexican wave and fans displayed signs reading “Stan the Man” and “Stan still the Man.” Spectators repeatedly chanted his name, and he responded with a grin and racket taps after points.
Official Tributes and Tournament Responses
After the match, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo embraced Wawrinka. The arena displayed two video tributes, featuring messages from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Gaël Monfils. He also received a glass case containing a fragment of the Roland Garros clay. The tributes highlighted his 20-year impact on the sport and his resilience.
Criticism & Opposition
Media coverage did not present any substantive criticism of Wawrinka’s performance or retirement decision; no dissenting viewpoints were reported in the available sources. Thus the narrative remained uniformly celebratory.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources agree on the first three set scores, but the fourth set is reported as 6-4 by most outlets and as 4-6 by one source, creating a minor discrepancy.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's hard, it's hard to say goodbye to you here,” — Stan Wawrinka, Swiss tennis player
- “It's because of Roland Garros that I wanted to become a tennis player.” — Stan Wawrinka
- “You are a legend of our sport,” — Gaël Monfils, French tennis player
- “I know I played against your coach, it doesn't make me any younger.” — Stan Wawrinka
- “He was playing against my coach (Bas Van Bentum) when I was a ball kid.” — Jesper de Jong, Dutch tennis player
What’s Next
Wawrinka will compete at Wimbledon and the US Open before retiring at season’s end, with farewell events planned for his final tournaments.
