Since Nicholas Lamperin took over as ASB Classic tournament director in 2022, one male player has always been at the top of his list.
After three years of trying, Lamperin has finally got his man, with Swiss great Stan Wawrinka confirmed for the 2026 Auckland event after being granted a wildcard.
He’s a name that will turn heads – given his remarkable career.
At his peak Wawrinka was a true outlier, taking out major titles during the game’s toughest era.
At a time when the big four – Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray – were completely dominant – he was the only player outside that quartet who managed to win grand slam titles, with the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open.
In each of those finals he took down the world No 1, while he also reached the 2017 Roland Garros decider and major semifinals on five other occasions.
“It is incredible,” Lamperin told the Herald. “He hasn’t always received the recognition that he should have had, he also grew up in the shadow of Roger Federer in Switzerland, so there was very little space for him. What he’s managed to achieve is pretty remarkable considering the conditions. The fact during that era he got three Grand Slams – beating Djokovic twice in the final and Nadal once – it’s pretty exceptional.”
Now 40, the Swiss has battled injuries over the past few years but remains a marquee name, given his achievements and is climbing the ladder again, seeking one last chapter.
“He still has a lot of passion for the game and he wants to get his ranking back into the top 100,” said Lamperin.
“He wants to play another full season and have a chance to compete in all the Grand Slams where he had so much success.”
Wawrinka has played in Auckland twice before, in 2006 and 2007, at the beginning of his career. He made his first Grand Slam quarter-final in 2010, the first of 17 times he would reach the last eight at a major.
The Swiss appeared in 50 straight Grand Slam tournaments before missing the 2017 US Open and scored five wins over World No 1s in the process.
He has collected 16 ATP singles titles – including 11 straight wins in finals from 2014 to 2016 and he achieved a career-high No 3 in the world in 2014.
Injuries began to bite in 2017 – with two knee operations – before two surgeries on his foot in 2021.
Wawrinka has also represented Switzerland at three Olympic Games, at Beijing in 2008 where he won doubles gold with Roger Federer; London in 2012 where he was the Swiss flagbearer, and at Paris in 2024.
Lamperin is thrilled he is coming here again.
“He’s always been near the top of my list,” said Lamperin. “An amazing player. He’s the kind of guy that you want to try to bring every year, and you know there’s going to be a window at one point, but you have to be patient and be ready when that window opens.”
Wawrinka’s desire – and enduring passion for the sport – was shown in his 2025 schedule where he mixed ATP tour events with Challengers, playing 11 tournaments on the lower tier.
“He hasn’t been shy of playing down and going into the grind,” said Lamperin.
Currently at No 158, Wawrinka remains a threat to the best. He took world No 7 Danil Medvedev to three sets in Rotterdam and earlier this month was serving for the match against ninth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti before the Italian prevailed in three.
“Someone like Stan could still go all the way at an ATP 250,” said Lamperin. “His level is still there and he is the kind of guy who pushes really, really hard at training. He’s always been like this. Then it’s just a matter of circumstances and having a little luck in the draw, winning a few matches and getting on a roll.”
Auckland spectators will also get to see his signature backhand, a shot that John McEnroe once described as the best one-handed backhand in the sport.
“It’s someone special to witness,” agreed Lamperin, “It is a dying technique.”
Wawrinka, who turned professional in 2002, is one of the last of his generation, alongside the likes of Gael Monfils and Djokovic. The ATP tour is more physically demanding with each passing year but Wawrinka remains highly motivated.
“I know that the day I stop, there will be no comeback. So I want to squeeze it until the end, that’s for sure,” said Wawrinka.
“Is it going to be a few months, is it going to be one year or two? I don’t know, I think the results will tell us. I enjoy it if I feel competitive, if I feel that I can still win some good matches and feel happy with myself. If I don’t have the level, this is not something I enjoy too much.”
With another wildcard earmarked for the winner of the domestic playoff tournament, Lamperin has one more up his sleeve.
“That spot is open and we will see where things end up with the entry list.”