Stan Wawrinka has addressed retirement talks after playing likely his last match of the 2024 season.

The three-time Grand Slam champion will turn 40 next year and now sits well outside of the world’s top 100.

While some of his contemporaries, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal, decided to end their careers this year, Wawrinka shows no signs of slowing down.

Wawrinka was ousted by Ben Shelton in a tight two-setter at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Thursday. The 39-year-old did not receive a wildcard into next week’s Paris Masters and is not on the entry list for Metz or Belgrade the week after, so his season is likely over.

The former world No. 3’s future was left uncertain when he stepped off the court. He’s shown some promising signs recently – reaching the Stockholm semi-final – but he has largely struggled for form this year.

But Wawrinka quickly shared his intentions to continue competing into 2025, even though he will turn 40 in March. “My plan was always to continue,” the current world No. 169 told Tages Anzeiger.

“The way I feel, tennis-wise and physically, how well I train, the level of play I reach… But of course, there is also the reality of results and rankings.”

The Swiss star admitted that things could change if he could no longer compete on the biggest stages. But, even with his ranking dropping this year, his determination has not yet faltered.

He added: “If I no longer have the opportunity to play in the big tournaments that I usually enjoy, that could affect my motivation. So far, that has not been the case.”

Wawrinka will enjoy a small boost in the rankings after his run to the second round of his home tournament, as he looks set to re-enter the world’s top 150. He will now be hoping to receive an Australian Open wildcard in January as a former champion.

The 39-year-old has made a habit of giving himself some ‘oldest’ records in recent weeks, and by committing to the 2025 season he will continue trying to prove that age is just a number.