Jiri Lehecka faces tricky test as emotional Stan Wawrinka begins final tournament in Basel
Match News & Form
Stan Wawrinka received one of his earliest tour-level opportunities through a main-draw wildcard here in Basel back in 2003. Now, at 41, he has been handed another to take to the court one final time, with the former world No. 3 set to retire at the end of this tournament. It promises to be a highly emotional week, and he will be looking to play as many matches as possible and create a lasting memory in front of an adoring home crowd.
That has been the story of the Swiss’s entire season. He has entered every tournament knowing it would be his last appearance there and tried hard to sign off with positive memories, but fitness has often got in the way. That includes his other two home events this year in Geneva and Gstaad, where he won just one match combined, against relatively inexperienced underdog Raul Brancaccio in Geneva.
Jiri Lehecka started the post-US Open phase on a high, winning both of his Davis Cup singles rubbers against higher-ranked opponents Ben Shelton and Learner Tien, before reaching the final in Tokyo and even dominating Carlos Alcaraz in the early stages. Similar results have not followed since, though. He suffered demoralising defeats from a set up against Rafael Jodar at the Shanghai Masters and against Tallon Griekspoor in the Brussels quarterfinals last week, losing some of the momentum he had built and slipping just outside the top 20.
Head-to-Head: 0-0
The two players have never met before.
Stats & Facts
A first-round exit has been Stan Wawrinka’s most frequent result in Basel, having fallen at that stage on nine occasions.
Wawrinka has won just 10 of his 31 matches this year.
Jiri Lehecka is yet to win a match in Basel, having lost in the first round in both 2024 and 2025.
Lehecka has compiled a strong 9-3 record against players ranked outside the top 100 this year.
Betting Analysis
Stan Wawrinka’s current fitness should not be enough to beat a much younger, top-20 calibre player like Jiri Lehecka. However, the circumstances surrounding this match make the Swiss a dangerous opponent. Fuelled by emotion and the motivation to give everything in his farewell tournament, there is a very good chance he offers a stern challenge, at least taking a set, or even pulling off the upset if Lehecka is unsettled by the occasion and the atmosphere.