Wawrinka honored at Basel tournament

Stan Wawrinka was honored during the traditional Super Monday at the ATP 500 Basel tournament on October 26. The ceremony took place on the central court of the event in front of his family and included a long standing ovation for the triple Grand Slam champion, who is preparing to retire.

Tournament president praises Wawrinka

Roger Brennwald, president of the tournament, presented Wawrinka with a golden tennis ball and compared him to the "Sylvester Stallone of tennis," praising his courage and longevity. A live portrait and a song performed by his friend Bastian Baker also marked the ceremony.

Famous tennis figures send messages

Several major names in tennis sent video messages to Wawrinka, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, and Gael Monfils. Federer's message included a personal note to his former doubles partner: "You are missing. I love you."

Djokovic unable to attend

Although Djokovic had personally requested to attend the ceremony, he was ultimately unable to make the trip. Wawrinka expressed difficulty in finding the words to speak to the crowd, saying, "It is easier to come onto this court to play than to speak to you. It is difficult to say goodbye to a sport you love."

Wawrinka's final match approaches

Following the emotional evening, Wawrinka was set to play his first round match on Tuesday evening against Jiri Lehecka, the eighth seed, following the match between Ben Shelton and Aleksandar Kovacevic. This match could potentially be his last in his career.