A top player from the era of the Big Three, Wawrinka has secured a main draw wildcard for the Australian Open!

Although the 2026 Australian Open has yet to begin, various news surrounding the tournament has already captured the attention of many fans. Previously, Zheng Qinwen withdrew from this year's Australian Open due to physical reasons. In her statement, she emphasized that Grand Slam events demand extremely high physical fitness, and rushing to compete could risk injury recurrence, which led to her withdrawal.

Of course, for the young Zheng Qinwen, there will be many more opportunities to participate in the Australian Open in the future. But for Wawrinka, born in 1985, receiving this precious main draw wildcard means he will embark on his final Australian Open journey in his professional career.

As one of the few players who won multiple Grand Slam titles during the era of the Big Three, Wawrinka’s career has been quite remarkable. After claiming the boys’ singles title at the 2003 French Open Juniors, he won his first tour-level title at the Umag Open by defeating Djokovic.

However, between the 2006 and 2013 seasons, Wawrinka was always just shy of a major breakthrough in his career. During this period, his best results included reaching the men’s singles semifinals in Grand Slams and finishing as runner-up in Masters tournaments.

Wawrinka’s turning point came in the 2014 season when he consecutively defeated Djokovic, Berdych, and Nadal at the Australian Open to finally win his first Grand Slam singles title. Following this victory, his world ranking climbed to a career-high third place.

Additionally, he captured his first Masters title in that remarkable 2014 season. At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Wawrinka reached the final and defeated Federer to claim the championship. During those years, his ability to beat Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer in succession showed he was in outstanding form.

Subsequently, Wawrinka won the French Open in 2015 and the US Open in 2016, bringing his total Grand Slam singles titles to three so far. However, in recent seasons, due to aging and various injuries, his performance on the tour has been relatively average, with three consecutive first-round exits at the Australian Open.

According to foreign media reports, Wawrinka will officially retire after the 2026 season. This means all tournaments he participates in this year will be his last. After receiving the Australian Open main draw wildcard, Wawrinka will embark on his twentieth Australian Open journey. Thus, the men’s singles wildcards for this year’s Australian Open have now been fully announced, including:

Bu Yunchaokete, Gibson, Jacques, Dakovic, Tsuchikata Rinki, Thompson, O’Connell, and Wawrinka. Fans are hoping Wawrinka gets a favorable draw and can deliver several memorable matches during his final Australian Open appearance.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)