FINAL FAREWELL: DISCOVER STAN WAWRINKA’S LAST PROFESSIONAL SEASON JOURNEY ON ATP TOUR
Stan Wawrinka enters his 2026 farewell tour, facing Felix Auger-Aliassime in a passing-of-the-torch clash at the Montpellier Open.
Stan Wawrinka just keeps proving that age doesn’t slow him down. He’s been around the tennis world for ages, and honestly, that says a lot about everything he’s poured into his career.
He came off a strong run at the Australian Open and tried to keep that momentum going. But when he hit Montpellier, things didn’t quite go his way—he ran into Felix Auger-Aliassime, the top seed, and lost in the round of 16.
Felix has always looked up to Wawrinka. Even as a kid, he dreamed about getting onto the big stage and facing off against legends like Stan. Now, that dream is real, and he still carries a ton of respect for the Swiss star.
“Grateful to have gotten the opportunity to share the court with you at least once during your outstanding career, @stanwawrinka85.
Always hoped I’d have the chance to experience that special backhand of yours. Wishing you all the best for the rest of your season.
On to Quarters today, and hoping for another evening of fun atmosphere in Montpellier.”
After his win over Wawrinka, Felix kept up the pace. He took on Arthur Fils next and finished the match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Then, in the semifinals, he faced a real fight from Titouan Droguet. The Frenchman pushed hard, but Felix powered through and won it 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.
Now, all eyes are on Felix to see if he can take home the trophy in Montpellier.
As for Wawrinka, last season he made it official: 2026 will be his final year on the ATP Tour. The guy turns 41 in March, and he’s one of the rare players who managed to snag Grand Slam titles during the era when the Big Three—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic—basically owned the sport. That’s no small feat.
NIKE TO LAUNCH CARLOS ALCARAZ SIGNATURE BRAND FOLLOWING CAREER GRAND SLAM
Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open win drew 730,000 US viewers, sparking predictions that he will become tennis’s next billionaire.
The closing rounds of the Australian Open really grabbed the world’s attention, and the U.S. TV numbers for the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic prove it. Even with no American players in the mix, the showdown drew 730,000 viewers on ESPN, according to Nielsen. That’s a whopping 57% jump from last year’s Jannik Sinner vs. Alexander Zverev final—despite the brutal 3:30 a.m. ET start time.
It’s the biggest American audience for an Australian Open men’s final since 2017, back when Roger Federer outlasted Rafael Nadal in a five-set classic that pulled in 1.1 million viewers.
The women’s final between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka also ticked up, pulling 487,000 viewers—an 8% increase from 2025—even though Madison Keys, an American, beat Sabalenka that year.
Alcaraz’s win has cranked up his status as a marketing powerhouse. Brand expert Jack Kenney-Herbert from Sid Lee in London told Tennis365 that Alcaraz is now “the perfect commercial storm”—a 22-year-old Career Grand Slam winner with a digital reach the old “Big Three” never had when they started. With whispers of a signature logo coming from Nike, Kenney-Herbert thinks Alcaraz has already stepped beyond the sport into global-icon territory. His brand value is sky-high, and with his age and the money now in tennis, Kenney-Herbert says Alcaraz is on track to break earning records and become the most marketable athlete of his generation.
If Alcaraz keeps winning on the court and making smart moves off it, Kenney-Herbert says he isn’t just chasing trophies—he’s on track to join Federer as tennis’s next billionaire.
He’s already signed on with Rolex, BMW, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Evian. After this latest win, those deals are set to pay out bonuses and get even more valuable when renewal talks come up. Now Nike is reportedly planning to launch an Alcaraz signature brand, putting him in rare company with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan—guys with their own apparel lines. And this might just be the beginning.
He looks ready to follow Federer’s path. Federer became tennis’s first billionaire, partly thanks to his move from Nike to take a stake in On, a then-small footwear company. Federer’s involvement helped turn On into a $20 billion giant, with his own share now rumoured to be worth $1 billion. Alcaraz could be next in line to make that kind of splash.
EMMA RADUCANU REACHES FIRST SEMIFINAL OF 2026 AT CLUJ-NAPOCA WTA 250
Emma Raducanu is in her first semifinal of 2026 in Cluj-Napoca and has received a favourable opening draw for the Qatar Open.
Emma Raducanu’s week just keeps getting better. While she’s making a strong run in Cluj-Napoca, she found out she’ll open the Qatar Open in Doha against a qualifier—a pretty decent draw, all things considered.
Right now, Raducanu’s the top seed at the WTA 250 event in Cluj-Napoca, and she’s finally back in a semifinal, her first of the season. She’ll face Oleksandra Oliynykova, who’s ranked No. 91 and is playing her first-ever WTA semifinal. Not exactly a familiar opponent, but Raducanu knows not to underestimate her.
While she’s gearing up for that match, the Doha draw dropped, and honestly, it’s about as good as she could hope for—she won’t know exactly who she’s playing until the qualifiers wrap up, but getting a qualifier always feels like a small win.
Doha hasn’t been her happiest hunting ground. She’s played there twice before and lost in the first round both times, in 2024 and 2025.
Asked how she feels heading into the Cluj-Napoca semifinal, Raducanu said, “I’m really happy to be in the semifinals. It’s been a few months since I last reached one, so to be back in this position means a lot—the hard work over the past weeks is being rewarded.”
She admitted she doesn’t know much about Oliynykova, but she’s not taking her lightly. “I know she plays well. She’s beaten some strong opponents and had a very high-quality match against Madison Keys at the Australian Open. I’ll need to be very focused and in my best shape tomorrow. I don’t know how the match will unfold, but it’s clear we’ll both give our best. She’s a fighter, and I’m also pleased with how I’ve handled things throughout the week.”
If Raducanu wins the title in Cluj-Napoca, she’ll head into Doha with her first trophy since that electrifying US Open run in 2021.