Stan Wawrinka reveals which player he hopes to face before retirement

Stan Wawrinka’s farewell season on the ATP Tour is already filled with moments to remember.

The Swiss veteran has notched wins over Arthur Rinderknech and Hamad Medjedovic and made it as far as the third round of the Australian Open.

Those early results saw him climb back into the top 100, and he’s also been handed a wild card for this year’s Monte Carlo Masters.

With three Grand Slam titles to his name, Wawrinka isn’t short on career highlights. Still, there are a couple of matchups he’d love to tick off before calling time on his career.

Stan Wawrinka’s last dance: Two ‘dream’ opponents he wants to face in his final year

Wawrinka, speaking with Spazio Tennis, spoke about the main objectives he has for his final season as a player.

He said: “I have always had the goal of remaining truly competitive in my final season as a professional tennis player. Staying fit and taking care of myself will be essential to achieving it.”

“I want this year to continue in the same way because it is something I am proud of.”

The 39-year-old’s comments came after winning 6-3, 6-4 against Adrian Mannarino at Indian Wells on Saturday. It was an emotional victory for him, having lost three consecutive ATP Tour matches heading into this one.

“Mannarino is a player I know well; we have played each other many times,” he said. “Even though he isn’t playing his best right now, I was expecting a tough match. We both play differently and enjoy the game. At some points in the match, you could see that we were enjoying ourselves.”

Stan Wawrinka could meet Carlos Alcaraz in Barcelona

Wawrinka and Alcaraz have never crossed paths on court, but there’s a chance that could change at the Barcelona Open.

Both players are entered into the ATP 500 event, with Wawrinka accepting a wild card to make what will be his final appearance there.

The draw isn’t huge either, which boosts the odds of a potential matchup compared to some of the larger events on tour.

Alcaraz has lifted the trophy twice already in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, Wawrinka’s best run came when he reached the semi-finals back in 2014.

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