Stan Wawrinka's career ended at home. The 41-year-old Swiss star lost 7-5, 7-6 (2) to eighth seed Jiri Lehecka in the first round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel. It was the last match of a pro career that began in 2002.

His final shot was a backhand that sailed wide. It was fitting in a way since his one-handed backhand was the shot fans will remember most.

Wawrinka announced last December that 2026 would be his final season. He chose to close it out in front of a home crowd in Switzerland.

Three Slams against the best

Wawrinka won three Grand Slam titles and beat the world No. 1 in the final each time. He beat Rafael Nadal at the 2014 Australian Open. He then beat Novak Djokovic at the 2015 French Open and again at the 2016 US Open.

Those wins came in an era ruled by the Big Three. Breaking through once was rare. Doing it three times made him one of the few players who could beat them on the biggest stage.

A long list of highlights

Wawrinka reached a career-high No. 3 in the world in 2014 and won 16 titles. He won Olympic doubles gold with Roger Federer at the 2008 Beijing Games. He also helped Switzerland win the Davis Cup in 2014.

A late bloomer to the end

He did his best work in his late 20s and early 30s, which is later than most champions. Basel gave him one last chance to play in front of the fans who watched him grow up.