Match Reaction
Wawrinka bids farewell to Monte-Carlo, reflects on ‘incredible’ Federer clash
Swiss star, who won the Monte-Carlo title in 2014, plays his final match on Monday
April 06, 2026
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Stan Wawrinka plays his final match at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Monday.
By ATP Staff
Stan Wawrinka bade farewell to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters crowd on Monday afternoon, when the 41-year-old wild card fell to Sebastian Baez in his final match at the event.
Competing in the final season of his ATP Tour career, the Swiss legend is taking the opportunity to say goodbye to the tournaments that have shaped his journey. Monte-Carlo represents a special place for Wawrinka, who lifted his only ATP Masters 1000 trophy here in 2014 after defeating countryman Roger Federer in the final.
“Incredible memories, of course,” Wawrinka responded when asked about his title run in the Principality. “It was my first and only Masters 1000 Stan Wawrinka bids farewell to Monte-Carlo, reflects on ‘incredible’ Roger Federer clash | ATP Tour. Plus, here in Monte-Carlo… I I grew up on clay. All my youth, I dreamt of these clay tournaments, with all these clay specialists. So Monaco was one of my favourite tournaments to watch.
“I was fortunate to be able to win it, to play against Roger that year. Moreover, we were playing in the Davis Cup, we were really close, we spent a lot of time together. We warmed up before the final. Matches against Roger have always been more complicated with our relationship. It’s true that managing to get beyond that and win the tournament was exceptional.”
That victory formed just one part of a career that ultimately exceeded even Wawrinka’s own expectations. Despite never setting out with the explicit goal of reaching the very top of the sport, he climbed to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and captured three Grand Slam titles.
When asked how he reflects on that journey and what legacy he hopes to leave, Wawrinka framed his success not in terms of trophies, but in terms of mindset and personal growth.
“I am a child from a village, from a farm, who dreamed of being a professional tennis player, with one goal: to always give my best every day, to be able to progress, to constantly push all my limits, without ever putting up barriers,” Wawrinka said in French. “But never having the goal of winning a Grand Slam or being No. 1 in the world, just trying to continuously be better, and that’s what I’ve tried to do throughout my career.
“I managed at one point in my career to really reach the maximum I could by winning for four years, winning Grand Slams, winning Masters 1000s, winning other tournaments. But in the end, for me, it’s the love of the game and the passion that allowed me to do that every day consistently and have a goal.”
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Rather than treating his farewell tour as a ceremonial lap, Wawrinka remains fiercely competitive. In January, he became the oldest man since 1978 to reach the Australian Open third round.
“That’s the athlete I am: I’m always going to come on court to try to win and I cannot just arrive and try just to enjoy because it’s my last one,” Wawrinka said. “These days it’s never easy. We only see what’s happening on court, like today with a full crowd, but there’s a lot of work behind. Especially at 41, it requires a lot of discipline, self discipline, sacrifice to try to stay fit.
“Of course these days and weeks are really, really difficult, but in the end it’s worth it. I’m passionate about the sport. I love what I do. I know it’s my last year trying to do the best I can. Hopefully I can win a few matches this year to enjoy that feeling of winning.”