Stan Wawrinka played his final match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday, losing in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev. The 40-year-old Swiss veteran, set to retire at the end of 2026, received a touching farewell ceremony on court. Medvedev advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
Stan Wawrinka, a former champion at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2016, entered the tournament as a wild card for what he described as 'one last chance' in the city. On Wednesday afternoon, he faced world No. 11 Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16. Medvedev dominated the match, breaking Wawrinka's serve three times in the first set, which lasted just over 30 minutes, to win 6-2. In the second set, Wawrinka briefly led 3-2 with a more aggressive approach, but Medvedev's defensive consistency led to another mid-set break, securing a 6-3 win in 75 minutes total.
Following the defeat, Wawrinka remained on court for a farewell ceremony under the desert sun. Tournament Director Salah Tahlak and ATP CEO Eno Polo presented him with a traditional dagger, a commemorative cake, and a framed photo of his Dubai memories. Wawrinka, who first competed in Dubai in 2006 against Roger Federer and holds a 6-4 record there, addressed the crowd emotionally. "I came here for the first time more than 15 years ago and I always feel really welcome," he said. "It was amazing for me to have one last chance, one last opportunity, to play here. I will always have amazing memories from here at the tournament."
"It’s my last time here, but I always had amazing support from you guys," Wawrinka added. "It’s always special. The reason why I kept playing for so long is because of those emotions that I receive on court, but I think at 40 it’s time to play for one last year."
Medvedev, who also defeated Juncheng Shang in straight sets earlier, will face Jenson Brooksby in the quarterfinals after Brooksby's win over Karen Khachanov. In post-match comments, Medvedev proposed a radical reform to the ATP ranking system, suggesting points only for four Grand Slams and 11 Masters events, with others as exhibitions to reduce injury risks. He cited Holger Rune's Achilles rupture at a 250-level event as an example. This view aligns with calls from players like Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil through the Professional Tennis Players Association, which filed a lawsuit in March 2025 against governing bodies over the schedule's impact on welfare.
