History of Stan Wawrinka in Timeline

Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss professional tennis player known for his powerful groundstrokes and aggressive style. He achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3 and has won 16 ATP Tour-level singles titles. His major accomplishments include winning the Australian Open (2014), French Open (2015), and US Open (2016), defeating the world No. 1 player in the final of each. Wawrinka also earned an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles with Roger Federer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and played a key role in Switzerland's 2014 Davis Cup victory.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1980: Third 40-year-old to win an ATP Tour since 1980

In 2025, at the age of 40, Wawrinka became the third 40-year-old to win an ATP Tour or Grand Slam match on clay since 1980 joining Jimmy Connors and Ivo Karlovic.

1982: Mats Wilander First Boy Champion to Win Men's Title

Since Mats Wilander in 1982, Wawrinka is the first former boys' champion to win the men's title.

March 1985: Stan Wawrinka's Birth

In March 1985, Stanislas "Stan" Wawrinka was born. He is a Swiss professional tennis player.

Others born on this day/year

1990: Third-oldest semifinalist in the ATP history since 1990

In 2024, Stan Wawrinka, at 39 years old, became the third-oldest semifinalist in ATP history (since 1990) at the Stockholm Open, behind Jimmy Connors and Ivo Karlovic.

1992: Andre Agassi Won First Grand Slam Title and Davis Cup

In 1992, Andre Agassi was the first player since then to win his first Grand Slam title and first Davis Cup in the same season.

1993: Sergi Bruguera Beat Top Two Seeds at French Open

In 1993, Sergi Bruguera defeated No. 1 Pete Sampras and No. 2 Jim Courier at the French Open, becoming the first man since then to beat both of the top two seeds en route to a Grand Slam title.

2002: Wawrinka Became Professional

In 2002, Wawrinka transitioned into a professional tennis player.

2002: Turned Professional in 2002

In 2002, at the age of 17, Wawrinka turned professional.

2002: Albert Costa Won Roland Garros After First-Round Loss

Since Albert Costa in 2002, Wawrinka is the first man to win Roland Garros after losing in the first round in the previous year.

June 2003: Reached No. 7 in Junior World Rankings

In June 2003, Wawrinka reached as high as No. 7 in the junior world rankings.

2004: Switzerland Reached Davis Cup Quarterfinal

In 2004, Switzerland reached their first Davis Cup quarterfinal since 2004.

2005: Finished 2005 Season Just Inside Top 50

By the end of 2005, Wawrinka was ranked just inside the top 50 in the world.

2005: Beginning of 'Big Four' Dominance

The year 2005 marked only the second time since then that a player outside of the 'Big Four' (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray) had won a Grand Slam title.

2006: Davis Cup Match

Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic played a five set match at the 2006 Davis Cup.

May 2008: Achieved Top 10 Ranking

On May 12, 2008, Wawrinka achieved a top-10 ranking by the ATP for the first time.

2008: 2008 Canada Open

Andy Murray won against Stan Wawrinka in three sets at the 2008 Canada Open.

2008: Reached 2008 Rome Masters Final

In 2008, Wawrinka reached the final of Rome Masters.

2008: Won Olympic Gold Medal

In 2008, Wawrinka won an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles at the Beijing Olympics, partnering with Roger Federer.

2008: Won Doubles Olympic Gold

Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer won the doubles Olympic Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

December 2009: Marriage to Ilham Vuilloud

In December 2009, Stan Wawrinka married Ilham Vuilloud, a Swiss television presenter and former fashion model, in Saint-Barthélemy.

2009: 2009 Wimbledon Fourth Round

In 2009 Wimbledon fourth round, Andy Murray won in five sets against Stan Wawrinka and was the first men's match to be played under the Wimbledon roof, having the latest finish for a Wimbledon match at the time.

2009: Praised for One-Handed Backhand

In 2009, John McEnroe deemed Wawrinka's backhand "the best one-handed backhand in the game."

2009: Juan Martín del Potro Won US Open

In 2009, Juan Martín del Potro won the US Open, being the first player outside of the 'Big Four' to win a Grand Slam since 2005.

February 2010: Birth of daughter Alexia

On February 12, 2010, Stan Wawrinka and Ilham Vuilloud welcomed their daughter, Alexia.

June 2010: Ended Coaching Relationship with Dimitri Zavialoff

In June 2010, Wawrinka ended his coaching relationship with Dimitri Zavialoff, who had coached him since he was eight years old.

2010: Won Second ATP Tournament

In 2010, Wawrinka won his second ATP Tournament, defeating Victor Hănescu in the final of the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, ending a five-match losing streak in ATP finals and a 3½-year title drought.

2010: 2010 US Open

Stan Wawrinka won against Andy Murray in four sets in 2010 US Open and was Murray's last defeat before a Grand Slam quarterfinal until the 2015 US Open.

January 2011: Won Portugal Open

In January 2011, Wawrinka won the fourth title of his career at the Portugal Open, defeating David Ferrer. This was his first title since January 2011.

January 2011: Separation from family

On January 4, 2011, it was reported in Swiss media that Stan Wawrinka separated from his wife and daughter, less than a year after his daughter's birth.

2011: 2011 Shanghai Masters

Andy Murray won against Stan Wawrinka in three sets at the 2011 Shanghai Masters.

2011: Claimed Chennai Open Crown

In 2011, Wawrinka started the year by winning the Chennai Open, defeating Xavier Malisse in the final.

2012: Close Match at 2012 Shanghai Masters

Roger Federer won against Stan Wawrinka in three sets at the 2012 Shanghai Masters.

February 2013: Played Longest ATP Doubles Match in History

On February 2, 2013, Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli played the longest ATP doubles match in history, lasting 7 hours and 2 minutes, against Lukáš Rosol and Tomáš Berdych of the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup.

2013: Played Longest Doubles Match in History

At the 2013 Davis Cup, Wawrinka partnered with Marco Chiudinelli in the longest doubles match in history, playing against the Czech Republic.

2013: Played in Three Consecutive Australian Opens

From 2013 to 2015, Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic played in three consecutive Australian Opens, with each match going to five sets and at the 2013 US Open they played a five-set match.

2013: Masters 1000 final at Madrid

In 2013, Rafael Nadal won all in straight sets the first 12 encounters, including 2 finals, one of which was a Masters 1000 final at Madrid.

2013: Began Working with Coach Magnus Norman

In 2013, Stan Wawrinka began working with new coach Magnus Norman, who was a former world No. 2. This partnership has been credited with improvement in Wawrinka's overall game.

2013: Reached 2013 Madrid Masters Final

In 2013, Wawrinka reached the final of Madrid Masters.

2013: Victory over Andy Murray at the US Open

Norman is also credited with improvement in Wawrinka's mental toughness, as seen in his performance in important matches and was evident in his victories over Andy Murray at the 2013 US Open.

2013: Close Match at 2013 Indian Wells Masters

Roger Federer won against Stan Wawrinka in three sets at the 2013 Indian Wells Masters.

2013: 2013 US Open Quarterfinals

Stan Wawrinka ended Andy Murray's title defence at the 2013 US Open quarterfinals with a comfortable straight sets victory.

2013: Won first two matches against Murray

Stan Wawrinka won their first two matches against Andy Murray in 2013.

January 2014: Reached World No. 3 Ranking

In January 2014, Stan Wawrinka achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 3 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

January 2014: Reached Career Peak of World No. 3

In January 2014, Wawrinka reached a career peak of world No. 3 and became the Swiss No. 1.

2014: Won the Australian Open Quarterfinals

At the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals, Wawrinka won 9–7 in the fifth set, breaking Djokovic's run of 14 consecutive semifinals in Grand Slam tournaments and ending Djokovic's 25-match winning streak at the Australian Open.

2014: Djokovic's Grand Slam Finals Record

Djokovic's twelve Grand Slam finals record dates back to the 2014 Wimbledon championships.

2014: 2014 Australian Open final

In 2014 Stan Wawrinka scored his first win against Rafael Nadal in their first Grand Slam final, the 2014 Australian Open final in 4 sets, denying Nadal's double career slam. It was also the only match between the pair not resulting in a straight set win for either player.

2014: Won the 2014 Monte Carlo Rolex Masters Final

In 2014, Stan Wawrinka came from behind a set to defeat Roger Federer in three sets to win his first Masters 1000 title at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters final.

2014: Won First Masters 1000 Title

In 2014, Wawrinka defeated Roger Federer to win his first Masters 1000 title at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

2014: Win Over Rafael Nadal at Australian Open

In 2014, Wawrinka survived a fightback from Rafael Nadal to clinch the title at the Australian Open, as Norman is also credited with improvement in Wawrinka's mental toughness.

2014: Won 2014 Monte-Carlo Masters Title

In 2014, Wawrinka won a Masters 1000 title at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

2014: New York Times Magazine Article

In August 22, 2014, a New York Times Magazine article analyzed that Wawrinka's backhand drive motion is unique in several areas.

2014: Nicknames Stanimal and Stan the Man

Stan Wawrinka is known by the nicknames "Stanimal" and "Stan the Man" for both his play style and ability to win in big matches, particularly between the 2014 Australian Open and the 2016 US Open.

April 2015: Divorce Announcement

On April 19, 2015, Stan Wawrinka announced on his Facebook page that he and Ilham Vuilloud were divorcing, though Vuilloud disputed his version of events the following day.

2015: Played in Three Consecutive Australian Opens

From 2013 to 2015, Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic played in three consecutive Australian Opens, with each match going to five sets.

2015: Relationship with Donna Vekić

In 2015, Stan Wawrinka began dating WTA player Donna Vekić. The relationship became public after Nick Kyrgios's comments during a match in Montreal.

2015: Won the 2015 French Open Title

In 2015, Stan Wawrinka defeated Roger Federer in straight sets during the 2015 French Open quarterfinals en route to winning his first ever French Open title although Federer then reversed it with a straight sets victory in the 2015 US Open semifinals.

2015: US Open, Davis Cup, Japan Open, Shanghai Rolex Masters, Paris Masters, and ATP World Tour Finals

In 2015, Stan Wawrinka had a busy year, reaching the US Open semifinals and helping Switzerland advance in the Davis Cup. He won the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, defeating Benoît Paire in the final. He reached the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters, losing to Rafael Nadal, but avenged that loss at the Paris Masters before losing to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Wawrinka also reached the semifinals at the ATP World Tour Finals, losing to Roger Federer.

2015: ESPN Body Issue Appearance

In 2015, Stan Wawrinka was featured in the ESPN body issue, posing nude in athletic poses.

2015: Win Over Novak Djokovic at French Open

In 2015, Wawrinka survived a fightback from Novak Djokovic at the French Open final, being down one break of serve in the fourth set, before breaking Djokovic's service twice to clinch the title.

2015: Won three consecutive times against Murray

Stan Wawrinka beat Andy Murray three consecutive times between 2013 and 2015.

2015: 2015 US Open

Stan Wawrinka won against Andy Murray in four sets in 2010 US Open and was Murray's last defeat before a Grand Slam quarterfinal until the 2015 US Open.

2015: Djokovic Denied Calendar Year Grand Slam

Wawrinka's 2015 French Open victory denied Djokovic the 2015 calendar year Grand Slam.

June 2016: Equipment and Sponsorships

As of June 2016, Stan Wawrinka used Yonex clothing and shoes, and the Yonex VCORE 95D racquet with Yonex Vcore Duel G paint job. He also used Babolat's RPM Blast string. He was also an ambassador for the TGV Lyria train service.

2016: US Open Win Over Djokovic

At the 2016 US Open, Wawrinka upset top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic in the round of 16. Djokovic withdrew after dropping the first two sets. This was their first match since Wawrinka's victory in the 2016 US Open final and marked his third win over Djokovic when he was No. 1.

2016: Won 2016 US Open

In 2016, Wawrinka claimed the US Open championship, adding another Grand Slam to his collection.

2016: US Open Victory

In 2016, Wawrinka won the US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final in four sets. Earlier in the tournament, he beat Fernando Verdasco, Alessandro Giannessi, Daniel Evans, Illya Marchenko, Juan Martín del Potro, and Kei Nishikori. With this victory, Wawrinka improved his record to 2–0 in major finals against Djokovic. The 2016 US Open final was the only match that year in which Djokovic won the first set but lost the match (53–1).

2016: Murray ended Wawrinka's winning streak

In the 2016 French Open, Andy Murray ended the winning streak of Stan Wawrinka, beating the defending champion Wawrinka in four sets.

2016: Nicknames Stanimal and Stan the Man

Stan Wawrinka is known by the nicknames "Stanimal" and "Stan the Man" for both his play style and ability to win in big matches, particularly between the 2014 Australian Open and the 2016 US Open.

August 2017: Knee Surgery and Season End

On August 4, 2017, Wawrinka announced that he would undergo surgery to repair damage to his knee and would miss the remainder of the 2017 tennis season.

2017: Victory against Andy Murray at the French Open

Despite his late-career successes, Wawrinka has been mired with inconsistency throughout his career and his victory against Andy Murray was in the semifinals of the 2017 French Open.

2017: 2017 French Open

In 2017 Nadal won their second Grand Slam final, at the 2017 French Open.

2017: Federer Defeated Wawrinka in Australian Open Semifinals

In 2017, Roger Federer defeated Stan Wawrinka in five sets in the 2017 Australian Open semifinals en route to his 18th major title.

2017: Reached Indian Wells fourth round

In 2017, Stan Wawrinka reached the fourth round at Indian Wells, for the first time since 2017 after winning against Holger Rune in Indian Wells, but he lost to Jannik Sinner.

2017: Reached 2017 French Open Final

In 2017, Wawrinka reached the final of the French Open.

2017: 2017 Season: Brisbane, Australian Open, Dubai

In 2017, Wawrinka started the season in Brisbane, reaching the semifinals. At the Australian Open, he reached the semifinals as well, losing to Roger Federer in five sets. This result elevated Wawrinka back to No. 3. He was then upset in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

2017: Murray prevailed in the final of the European open 2019

Their most recent encounter before the 2020 French Open was in the final of the European open 2019 in which Murray prevailed coming back from a set and a break down to win his first title since 2017 and his hip surgery.

2018: Stayed Inside Top 10 Till 2018

After a victory in the Madrid Masters, Wawrinka re-entered the Top 10 at No. 10 and stayed inside the Top 10 till 2018.

2018: 2018 St Petersburg Open and Shanghai Rolex Masters

In 2018, Warwinka received a wild card and entered the St Petersburg Open beating Karen Khachanov, Aljaž Bedene and Damir Džumhur before losing to Martin Kližan. He received a wildcard for the 2018 Shanghai Rolex Masters.

2018: 2018 US Open

In 2018, Wawrinka entered the US Open as a wildcard. He defeated Grigor Dimitrov and Ugo Humbert, before losing to Milos Raonic in the third round.

2018: 2018 Season: Italian Open, Geneva Open, French Open, Eastbourne

In 2018, Wawrinka lost in the first round of the Italian Open and his title defense ended in the quarterfinals of the Geneva Open. He also lost in the first round of the French Open, causing his ranking to drop. At Eastbourne, he lost to Andy Murray.

2018: 2018 Season: Australian Open, Sofia Open, ABN AMRO, Open 13

In 2018, Wawrinka lost in the second round of the Australian Open. He then lost in the semifinals of the Sofia Open, and in the first round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. At the Open 13 in Marseille, France, he retired during his first match due to a knee injury.

2018: 2018 Season: Washington, Rogers Cup, Cincinnati

In 2018, Wawrinka narrowly lost in the first round in Washington. At the Rogers Cup, he defeated Nick Kyrgios and Márton Fucsovics before losing to Rafael Nadal. At Cincinnati, he defeated Diego Schwartzman, Kei Nishikori, and Márton Fucsovics before losing to Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.

2018: Murray won Eastbourne International

In the 2018 Eastbourne International, Andy Murray won against Stan Wawrinka in straight sets.

May 2019: Reported Split with Donna Vekić

In May 2019, it was reported that Stan Wawrinka and Donna Vekić had split up.

2019: Defeated Djokovic at US Open

At the 2019 US Open, Wawrinka defeated Djokovic after Djokovic retired injured trailing two sets to love.

2019: Victory against Novak Djokovic at the US Open

Despite his late-career successes, Wawrinka has been mired with inconsistency throughout his career and his victory against Novak Djokovic was in the fourth round of the 2019 US Open.

2019: Reached First ATP Final Since 2019

In 2019, Stan Wawrinka's run in Umag included his first ATP final since 2019, defeating Filip Misolic, Federico Coria, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Lorenzo Sonego. He was defeated by Alexei Popyrin in three sets. By reaching the final, he ascended to World No. 49.

2019: 2019 Season Start

In 2019, Wawrinka started his season at the Qatar Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals. At the Australian Open, he was defeated by Raonic in the second round. At the Rotterdam Open, Wawrinka reached his first tournament final in over 20 months. This was followed by a defeat to Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinals of the Mexico Open.

2019: First full season since 2019

In 2023, Wawrinka completed his first full season since 2019

2019: Federer Prevailed at 2019 French Open

Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer's most recent encounter took place at 2019 French Open with Federer prevailing in four sets.

2019: Murray prevailed in the final of the European open 2019

2020: 2020 Australian Open

At the 2020 Australian Open, Wawrinka progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating Damir Džumhur, Andreas Seppi, John Isner, and Daniil Medvedev. He lost his quarterfinal match to Alexander Zverev.

2020: Reached fourth round of a Masters-level tournament

In 2020, Stan Wawrinka reached the fourth round of a Masters-level tournament for the first time since 2020 after winning against Holger Rune in Indian Wells, but he lost to Jannik Sinner.

2020: Highest Win Percentage Since 2020

In 2023, Wawrinka achieved his highest win percentage since 2020

2020: Djokovic Grand Slam Finals

In Djokovic's thirteen Grand Slam finals dating from 2014 Wimbledon through the 2020 Australian Open, his only two losses came at the hands of Wawrinka.

2020: Wawrinka won 2020 French Open first round

Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray met in the 2020 French Open first round with Wawrinka winning in straight sets.

2021: 2021 Australian Open

At the 2021 Australian Open, Wawrinka defeated Pedro Sousa in the first round before losing to Márton Fucsovics in the second round.

2021: Foot Injury and Season Missed

Following early exits in Rotterdam and Doha, Wawrinka had surgery for a left foot injury in 2021. This caused him to miss the clay, grass, and hardcourt seasons, including the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

2021: Djokovic Completed Two Titles at Each Grand Slam

In 2021, Novak Djokovic achieved the distinction of being the only active men's tennis player to hold at least two titles at each of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

2021: Consecutive Match Wins since 2021

Using protected ranking, Wawrinka scored his first two consecutive match wins since 2021 against Reilly Opelka and qualifier Laslo Djere at the Italian Open

2022: Nadal Completed Two Titles at Each Grand Slam

In 2022, Rafael Nadal achieved the distinction of being the only active men's tennis player to hold at least two titles at each of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

2022: 2022 Season

In 2022, Wawrinka made his return to professional tennis at the Andalucía Challenger, losing in the first round. He then played at the Monte-Carlo Masters, losing in the first round. At the Italian Open he scored his first two consecutive match wins since 2021. He then lost in the first round of the French Open and at Wimbledon.

2022: 2022 US Open, Moselle Open, Swiss Indoors

In 2022, at the US Open, Wawrinka retired during his first-round match. At the Moselle Open, he defeated Daniil Medvedev to reach the quarterfinals and reached his first semifinal in more than two years. At the Swiss Indoors, Wawrinka defeated Casper Ruud to record his 60th Top-10 win of his career. He also rehired Magnus Norman as his coach.

2022: Murray won Cincinnati Masters

In the first round of the 2022 Cincinnati Masters, Andy Murray won against Stan Wawrinka in three tight sets.

August 2023: First top 10 win since August 2023

At 39 years old, at the 2024 Stockholm Open, Stan Wawrinka reached the semifinals defeating top seed Andrey Rublev to get his first top 10 win since August 2023.

2023: Djokovic Defeated Wawrinka at Wimbledon Championships

At the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, Djokovic defeated Wawrinka in three sets.

2023: 2023 Season Start at United Cup

In 2023, Wawrinka began his season at the inaugural United Cup, leading Team Switzerland. He won his first match against Alexander Bublik but lost his next match against Hubert Hurkacz. His Australian season ended in Melbourne with a first-round loss to Alex Molčan.

2023: 2023 Season Review

In 2023, Wawrinka completed his first full season since 2019. He achieved his most matches played since 2019, highest win percentage since 2020, and reached his first ATP final since 2019. He reached the third round at Wimbledon and the US Open. He concluded the year ranked world No. 49.

October 2024: First win since October 2024

Aged 40 at the 2025 Țiriac Open, Wawrinka defeated Timofey Skatov to record his first win since October 2024.

2024: Participated in the Australian and French Open

In 2024, Stan Wawrinka participated in the Australian and French Open. At the 2024 Australian Open he lost to Adrian Mannarino and in Indian Wells he lost to Tomáš Macháč. At the 2024 French Open, he recorded his 70th Grand Slam participation and he won against Andy Murray.

2024: Received Wildcard Entries

In 2024, Stan Wawrinka, ranked outside the top 150, received a main draw wildcard for the 2024 US Open, the 2024 China Open, and the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he lost to Flavio Cobolli due to an umpire scoring error.

2024: Reached Semifinals at Stockholm Open

In 2024, at 39 years old, Stan Wawrinka became the oldest tournament quarterfinalist ever at the 2024 Stockholm Open, and he reached the semifinals, defeating top seed Andrey Rublev. He became the third-oldest semifinalist in ATP history (since 1990).

2024: Oldest Match Winner at Swiss Indoors

In 2024, at the Swiss Indoors, Stan Wawrinka became the oldest match winner in the tournament history, defeating Adrian Mannarino as a wildcard for the first time, after three previous losses.

2025: Lost in First Round of Australian Open

In 2025, Stan Wawrinka was a wildcard entry to the main draw of the 2025 Australian Open, but lost in the first round to Lorenzo Sonego.

2025: Awarded Wildcard Entries

In 2025, Stan Wawrinka was awarded a wildcard into the main-draw at the 2025 French Open and at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.

2025: Recorded First Win Since October 2024 at Țiriac Open

In 2025, aged 40, Stan Wawrinka at the 2025 Țiriac Open defeated Timofey Skatov to record his first win since October 2024, making him the third 40-year-old to win an ATP Tour or Grand Slam match on clay since 1980.