Stan Wawrinka is retiring. This is not breaking news, and neither is the fact that the 2026 Australian Open will be his last. The three-time major winner last took the title in Melbourne in 2014, and the most recent years have not been kind.
Which makes what he has done through two rounds in 2026 more impressive. After defeating Arthur Gea in the second round, Wawrinka is now the oldest man since the 1978 Australian Open to reach the third round of any Grand Slam. The Swiss is also in the third round of Melbourne for the first time since 2020.
In the previous three years, he was bounced out in the first round. He might be over 40 years old now, but he has the extra motivation of knowing his current Aussie Open will be his last.
Stan Wawrinka into the third round at the Australian Open
Gea didn't make the second round easy, and one might wonder how well Wawrinka will recover for his next match. Even Gea started cramping in the fifth set, which helped the Swiss player earn the win. The match took 4 1/2 hours with Wawrinka winning 4-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-6(3).
That is a lot of points and a long time to play for anyone, but for the nearly 41-year-old Wawrinka, it could take a toll. Let's hope not, however.
The Swiss player will always be slightly overlooked in the greater view of tennis from the excellent 2010s. Nearly any player not named Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Wawrinka's fellow countryman, Roger Federer. Even Andy Murray will overshadow Wawrinka, even though Murray has no more major titles than Wawrinka.
The Swiss has always been a bit feisty and not nearly as polished when speaking to the media as Federer (who is?), but that has helped him gain a great many fans. While far more talented and successful than most other people who have ever picked up a racket, Wawrinka has had an everyman appeal. He reacts to the ups and downs of his career as most of us would.
His next opponent is not an easy one. Stan Wawrinka will take on Taylor Fritz, the ninth seed. Most likely, Wawrinka's final match ever at the Australian Open will be in the third round, but the match should still make for a magical event.