Wawrinka Defies Time with Five-Set Epic to Reach Australian Open Third Round

Stan Wawrinka reminded Melbourne — and perhaps himself — why his career has long been defined by resilience, nerve and an unyielding will to compete, as the 40-year-old Swiss survived a punishing five-set battle to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

In what may prove to be his final appearance in the tournament where he once lifted the trophy, Wawrinka defeated French qualifier Arthur Géa 4–6, 6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 7–6 (10–3) after more than four and a half hours on court. It was a match that demanded not only shot-making but endurance, patience and psychological control — qualities that have sustained Wawrinka across two decades at the elite level.

Facing a player 21 years his junior and contesting his 58th career five-set match, Wawrinka looked anything but a fading veteran when it mattered most. While Géa was playing his first match ever beyond three sets, Wawrinka drew on a lifetime of experience, winning his 31st career five-setter and finishing the contest the fresher of the two.

The match turned decisively in the fourth set, when Wawrinka squandered an early 3–0 lead and briefly appeared to be slipping away. Under pressure, he steadied himself, produced a sublime backhand passing shot to secure a crucial break, and dragged the contest into a deciding set.

Even there, momentum proved fragile. Wawrinka again moved ahead 2–0, only for Géa to claw his way back. But in the final match tie-break, the generational gap told. The young Frenchman began to suffer from cramps, his movement fading as the tension rose. Wawrinka, by contrast, remained composed, striking cleanly and decisively to close out the contest.

The victory carries historical weight. Wawrinka is now the oldest player to reach the third round of a men’s singles Grand Slam since Ken Rosewall achieved the feat at the Australian Open in 1978 at the age of 44.

The path to the decider had mirrored the story of the night. Wawrinka dropped the opening set after an anxious start and missed early break chances. He recovered in the second by taking control of the rallies, only to concede a sudden break in the third. Géa, who arrived in Melbourne in form after winning a Challenger event in New Caledonia and eliminating world number 19 Jiří Lehečka without dropping a set, showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion.

Yet when the match reached its deepest waters, it was the former champion who knew how to swim.

Next, Wawrinka faces a stern test against ninth seed Taylor Fritz. The Swiss has won two of their three previous meetings, though he lost their most recent encounter three years ago in Monte Carlo.

For now, the result stands as a small but stirring reminder: even at 40, in an era dominated by youth and power, Stan Wawrinka can still summon the grit and craft that once made him a Grand Slam champion.