Stan Wawrinka has been a given a wild card into the Australian Open as he heads into his final season on the ATP Tour.
Wawrinka, 40, announced he will retire at the end of the season.
In Melbourne, he will be returning to the site of the first of his three career Grand Slam titles. He defeated Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinals in 2014 and went on to win that event, then won the French Open in 2015 and U.S. Open in 2016.
Ranked as high as No. 3 in 2014, the Swiss player has 16 career titles and nearly $38 million in winnings.
“Winning the Australian Open in 2014, my first Grand Slam title, is an absolute career highlight for me, so I’m incredibly grateful to receive this wild card,” Wawrinka said Friday.
“To have the chance to play the Australian Open at the beginning of my final year on tour means the world to me.”
Wawrinka currently is playing in the United Cup, representing Switzerland along with Belinda Bencic and Jakub Paul. The Swiss are scheduled to play Belgium in the semifinals on Saturday in Sydney.
Australian Nick Kyrgios, who has been plagued by injuries the past three seasons, received a wild-card entry into the doubles’ competition of his national tournament. He will partner with countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis.
“After some good conversations with Tennis Australia I’ve made the call to focus on doubles for this year’s AO,” Kyrgios wrote on social media. “I’m fit and back on court, but five-setters are a different beast and I’m not quite ready to go the distance yet.”
The Australian Open begins Jan. 18.
–Field Level Media
