Gstaad (Switzerland), July 15 (IANS) Life came full circle for three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka as he bid farewell to the event where he started his career at the start of the century.

Wawrinka’s farewell season reached a special milestone this week when the Swiss star competed for the final time at the Swiss Open at Gstaad, the tournament where his ATP Tour journey began more than two decades ago.

The 41-year-old Swiss, who will bring his distinguished career to a close at the end of the season, made his tour-level debut in Gstaad in 2003. Two years later, he reached his first ATP Tour final at the event, the beginning of a career that would see him become one of the most successful Swiss players in tennis history.

Wawrinka’s final appearance in Gstaad ended late on Tuesday night, when he fell to Jaime Faria in three sets. Wawrinka went down in a hard-fought three-setter, losing out after winning the first set, 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 37 minutes at the Roy Emerson Arena.

Following the match, the tournament paid tribute to the former No. 3 player in the ATP Rankings with an emotional farewell ceremony.

The Swiss received a pair of skis featuring the words ‘The Man’, a tribute to his famous nickname, ‘Stan the Man’. Wawrinka then addressed the crowd and thanked the tournament for its support throughout his career.

A video tribute was also played inside the stadium, featuring messages from several ATP Tour stars, including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud.

“Hey Stan, just want to wish you many congratulations on what an amazing career you have had,” Ruud said. “My best memories on court are the three Grand Slam wins you had. All three were in great fashion, the way you did it. Thank you for being a big inspiration for me and many other players.”

Wawrinka has collected 16 tour-level titles during his career, including three major trophies at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open. Among Swiss men since 1990, only Roger Federer, with 103 titles, has won more.

–IANS

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