MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Stan Wawrinka had to dig deep to edge Arthur Gea in a 4 1/2-hour, five-set epic to become the first man 40 or older to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since the 1978 Australian Open.
Fittingly, it was the longest match at the 2026 Australian Open, Wawrinka's last at Melbourne Park.
The 2014 champion and a three-time major winner overall, Wawrinka held it together while 21-year-old qualifier Gea struggled with cramps in the fifth set's 10-point tiebreaker, hanging on for 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) on Thursday.
At 40 years, 310 days, Wawrinka was the first 40-plus man to go so far at a major since Australian great Ken Rosewall did it 48 years ago, at the age of 44.
The Swiss veteran announced last month that this year would be his last on the elite tour.
Asked in an on-court interview how he felt after 4 hours, 33 minutes on court, Wawrinka said, “Exhausted!”
“As I told you, it’s my last Australian Open, so I’m trying to last as long as possible. Not only I had fun but you gave me so much energy. I’m not young any more so I need the extra.”
Asked how he might recover before the third round, Wawrinka recalled a spectator dropping a beer earlier in the match and thought he'd raise a glass.
“I’ll pick up a beer,” he said. “I deserve one!”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
You're invited to our Sale Like a Celebrity event, hosted by Expedia Cruises. Join us at Rou… Read moreCelebrity Cruises Special Event
Join us for community fun! Free antique and collectible appraisals by Clars Auction. Over 30… Read moreMillbrae Senior Showcase
Kick off 2026 with movement, confidence, and FUN! Join us for our Last Chance to Dance Studi… Read moreLast Chance to Dance Open House- Free Dance Demos, Food, Face Painting & More!
Join the Belmont Parks and Recreation Department as we host our annual Sweetheart Dance for … Read moreSweetheart Dance
Doug North Central said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.