Geneva, May 18, 2026, 12:03 CEST
Stan Wawrinka’s Geneva Open opener took an abrupt turn less than 24 hours before his scheduled Centre Court appearance. The Swiss wild card will now play Italy’s Raul Brancaccio, after seventh seed Alejandro Tabilo pulled out. Brancaccio, who lost in qualifying, steps in as a lucky loser for Monday’s match, scheduled for 6 p.m. local time, according to tournament organisers.
This one carries weight—Wawrinka, set to retire, is probably making one of his last main-tour appearances on home soil. The ATP match notes put the 41-year-old at 10-3 in Geneva, with titles from 2016 and 2017. A win here? He’d become the oldest man since Jimmy Connors in 1994 to notch an ATP Tour clay-court victory.
Geneva offers players a final chance to sharpen their game ahead of Roland Garros. The tournament, classified as an ATP 250—which hands out 250 ranking points to the winner—wraps up on Saturday. The singles final is set for May 23.
The late change makes the draw look a bit easier. Tabilo, listed at No. 35 in the tournament notes, got to the Rio de Janeiro final on clay back in February. Brancaccio, on the other hand, has just one ATP main-draw appearance—Parma, 2021—but he did pick up a Challenger trophy in Menorca last month.
With 20-year-old Kilian Feldbausch knocked out during qualifying, Wawrinka stands as Switzerland’s lone representative in the main draw at Parc des Eaux-Vives. The home audience gets a single local story to rally behind—no long goodbyes as the match gets underway.
Earlier on Monday at Centre Court, Stefanos Tsitsipas is set to face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, with Arthur Rinderknech playing Thiago Agustin Tirante just ahead of Wawrinka’s slot on the schedule. The programme had already seen Alex Michelsen notch a 7-5 6-3 win over Sebastian Baez on that same court, according to the tournament’s posted order of play.
Wawrinka was gearing up for Tabilo as he talked to the tournament Saturday. “I always want to push my limits,” he said. “I couldn’t play just to make up the numbers.” Gonet Geneva Open
He’s stuck with that message since early this year, and not only during Geneva. “I’m a competitor,” Wawrinka said to the ATP Tour back in January. His longtime coach Magnus Norman pointed out that Wawrinka still enjoys “the hard work and the tough lifestyle,” and relishes playing in front of fans. ATP Tour
The apparent advantage in the draw isn’t without hazards. ATP notes point out that Brancaccio hasn’t yet posted a tour-level victory, and Tabilo exited due to fatigue, while Wawrinka entered with a 6-10 record for the season. A sluggish opening from the home wild card could turn what looks like a straightforward first match into a headache in a hurry.
Geneva’s draw still draws attention even with defending champ Novak Djokovic out—Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, and Casper Ruud headline the week’s lineup. Stan Wawrinka faces a more focused scenario: one last Geneva push, another battle on clay, and a late change in opponent right before the night session.
