Stan Wawrinka needed to work tooth and nail to defeat Arthur Gere in an in depth four-and-a-half hour, five-set battle to change into the primary man over 40 to achieve the third spherical of a Grand Slam because the 1978 Australian Open.
Fittingly, this was the longest match of the 2026 Australian Open and Wawrinka’s final at Melbourne Park.
On Thursday, 2014 champion and three-time main winner Wawrinka held on to win 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) after 21-year-old qualifier Geer suffered cramps in a 10-point tiebreak within the fifth set.
At 40 years and 310 days outdated, Wawrinka grew to become the primary man over 40 to attain this feat in a serious since Australian nice Ken Rosewall did it 48 years in the past at age 44.
The Swiss veteran introduced final month that this yr could be his final on the Elite Tour.
That is Wawrinka’s forty ninth five-set Grand Slam match, greater than every other participant. He has a report of 26 wins and 23 losses in such matches. In an on-court interview, Wawrinka was requested how he felt after spending 4 hours and 33 minutes on court docket, and he answered, “I am exhausted!”
“As I mentioned, that is my final Australian Open, so I am making an attempt to make it final so long as attainable,” he informed a crowd that was virtually utterly behind the Swiss veteran. “Not solely was it enjoyable, nevertheless it gave me a whole lot of power. I am not younger anymore and I want extra power.”
Requested how he would recuperate earlier than his third-round match in opposition to No. 9 Taylor Fritz, Wawrinka recalled how folks within the crowd had dropped beer earlier than the battle began, and he thought of elevating a glass.
“I will purchase you a beer,” he mentioned. “I deserve it!”
Gere is collaborating in a 5-set for the primary time and will certainly take some classes from the education.
“It was an unbelievable expertise,” he mentioned. “I will take my time and analyze the whole lot. However yeah, it was cool.”
Each gamers may have completed sooner. Wawrinka managed to get a break early within the fifth, however was unable to maintain it. After 5 units, every participant transformed solely 4 break level probabilities.
By the point the tie-break started, Wawrinka was assured he had the bodily energy to outperform the Frenchman, who is nineteen years his junior.
After the rating was 1-1, Gere’s proper leg started to cramp. After the subsequent level, the Frenchman needed to put his toes up and crouch, and cramped up once more when he hit a double-fault serve to present Wawrinka a 4-2 lead.
The match formally grew to become the longest of the event when Wawrinka scored to make it 5-3.
Wawrinka stood up at that second. He completed a 21-shot rally with a contact volley, however Geer scrambled for it however missed and tumbled onto the court docket.
A pinpoint lob made it 7-3, Geer’s double fault made it 8-3, and Wawrinka created six match factors with forehand winners.
“I am assured in my health degree to have the ability to stand up to these lengthy matches,” Wawrinka mentioned. “For me, it is not an issue to keep up this degree. At this time was one other huge battle.”
Fritz, who defeated Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4), mentioned Wawrinka was one in every of his nice rivals and he was excited to face him.
“I’ve appeared as much as Stan for a very long time. I do know he performs nicely,” Fritz mentioned. “The extent and bodily energy he continues to carry may be very spectacular.”
Fritz, 28, mentioned Wawrinka’s ageless type was spectacular.
“I can hardly think about enjoying 4 years from now!” Fritz mentioned.
The Related Press and PA contributed to this report.
