Stan Wawrinka Creates Historic Milestone at Australian Open
Swiss tennis legend Stan Wawrinka has achieved a remarkable sporting milestone, becoming the first 40-year-old man to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in 48 years. The veteran player secured his place in history with a gruelling five-set victory over French opponent Arthur Gea at the Australian Open.
Epic Five-Set Battle Sees Wawrinka Through
In a match that lasted an exhausting 4 hours and 33 minutes, Wawrinka demonstrated incredible resilience to overcome a 2-1 deficit in sets. The final scoreline read 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) in favour of the Swiss star, who will retire at the end of this season.
"It's a feeling that's tough to describe," Wawrinka reflected after his monumental victory. "But it's the reason why at 40 I'm still pushing myself, pushing the limit, practising hard in the off-season. It's to live those moments."
Special Significance in Final Season
The 2014 Australian Open champion acknowledged the particular emotional weight of this achievement, given this represents his final appearance at Melbourne Park. "Knowing it's my last one here, my last Australian Open, my last year, it's really special," he confessed. "The emotions are really completely different."
Wawrinka deliberately avoids comparing current achievements with past glories, preferring to focus on the present. "Never compare the past. That's really never a good idea," he advised. "For me, I'm always trying to stay in the present, living with what's happening in the present."
Next Challenge Against Taylor Fritz
The Swiss veteran now faces a significant test against ninth seed Taylor Fritz in the third round. The American player, who has been managing a knee injury, progressed comfortably with a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 victory over Vit Kopriva.
"I'm excited for it," Fritz said about the upcoming match. "I think it will be a fun match. Obviously I looked up to Stan for a long time. I know he's playing well."
Fritz noted Wawrinka's impressive physical condition despite his age, having practised with him recently. "His average time on court per match this year has to be something insane," he observed. "It's so impressive the level and just the physicality he's still bringing."
Other Tournament Highlights
Elsewhere in the tournament, top seeds continued their progress with minimal difficulty. Defending champion Jannik Sinner eased past Australian James Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, while ten-time champion Novak Djokovic dispatched Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
In the women's draw, Iga Swiatek maintained her strong form with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Marie Bouzkova. The Polish star revealed an interesting personal goal for the season ahead. "My goal for this year is to even go somewhere and just rest and not do anything," she explained, acknowledging her tendency to take on numerous off-court obligations.
The tournament saw its first significant upset in the women's competition as tenth seed Belinda Bencic fell 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 to 19-year-old qualifier Nikola Bartunkova.
Wawrinka's achievement represents not just a personal triumph but a historic moment for tennis, proving that age need not be a barrier to competing at the highest level of professional sport.
