Stan Wawrinka’s run at the Australian Open came to an end in the third round, where he lost to Taylor Fritz in four sets.
The Swiss veteran, competing in his final appearance at the tournament, had earlier picked up wins over Laslo Djere and Arthur Gea before running into Fritz.
Reflecting on his time there, Wawrinka expressed his appreciation for the fans and said the experience meant more than he could have asked for.
Now in the final stages of his career following a 24-year run, Wawrinka is still not ready to step away from competition just yet. He is set to play next at Montpellier.
And now it has been confirmed that he will be appearing again soon after another tournament added him to their lineup.
Stan Wawrinka set to feature in Gstaad Open main draw
The tournament’s Instagram page posted the news, along with details of a farewell event planned for 12 July, two days before Wawrinka is scheduled to play.
Wawrinka has appeared at the event 13 times without a title, though he did reach the final back in 2005. This summer will mark his 14th and final appearance.
The spokesperson said: “Stan Wawrinka will play the main draw for the 14th and final time in the Roy Emerson Arena. From unforgettable battles to historic moments, this summer will be about tennis, emotion and saying thank you to a legend.
“The three-time Grand Slam champion will play his first singles match on Tuesday, July 14. On Sunday, July 12, the organisers are planning a farewell party in honour of Wawrinka, to which everyone is invited!”
Wawrinka (pictured below) never won Gstaad in his previous appearances but did reach the final once. That came in 2005 when he beat Filippo Volandri, Fernando Verdasco, Frantisek Cermak and Razvan Sabau before falling to Gaston Gaudio.
Wawrinka’s first steps at the Gstaad Open
Back in 2002, a 17-year-old Wawrinka got his first taste of ATP Tour action during the qualifying rounds of the Gstaad Open.
He entered the tournament as a wildcard and drew Lovro Zovko, who was seeded eighth, in his opening match.
It didn’t go Wawrinka’s way though, as he fell 6-4, 6-0 to the Croatian.
Later that year, Alex Corretja went on to win the event after beating Gaston Gaudio in the final.
The following year, Wawrinka made his main-draw debut but was knocked out in the first round by Jean-Rene Lisnard.
The pattern continued into 2004 with another first-round exit – this time to Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo. But just one year later, Wawrinka made it all the way to his only final appearance at Gstaad.
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