An era closes: Wawrinka at Wimbledon for the last time

Tennis is nearing the end of an era. Stan Wawrinka, who has announced he will end his career at the end of the season and is on a farewell tour, took to the Wimbledon grass for the last time. Entering the main draw as a wildcard, the experienced player lost in four sets to his first-round opponent, Matteo Berrettini, and bowed out of the tournament.

The match was far more closely fought than the scoreline suggests. Although Stan Wawrinka went ahead by winning the first set in a tie-break, the balance shifted over the next three sets. The passage that decided the fate of the match was the run of consecutive, long tie-breaks. In particular, the second set turned in Berrettini's favor after a tie-break that ended with a very high score.

The Italian, keeping up his effectiveness at the key moments, took the third and fourth sets in tie-breaks too and closed out the match. The match on No. 1 Court, lasting four hours and 16 minutes, was a tough battle in which both players produced high serving performances. Although Wawrinka showed a look close to his opponent in serve efficiency, losing the crucial points in the tie-breaks directly affected the result.

With this match, Stan Wawrinka bid farewell to one of the most special tournaments of his career. This final match of the player, who has Grand Slam titles and produced unforgettable battles over the years, was an emotional moment for his fans. Berrettini, meanwhile, advanced and booked his place in the second round. Wawrinka's farewell tour, which will run until the end of the season, will remain one of the closely followed storylines in tennis.

Match by the numbers: Winners 44-66, unforced errors 31-51, break points won 1/2-1/6, first-serve points won 81%-86%, second-serve points won 60%-58%. Set scores: 7-6(9), 6-7(16), 6-7(7), 6-7(5).

Image: Yahoo Sports