The Australian Open men’s draw has taken on a nostalgic edge, with Stan Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic all reaching the third round in Melbourne — 17 years after they first did so together.
Wawrinka’s achievement stands apart. At 40, the Swiss veteran became the oldest man to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since Ken Rosewall in 1978, after surviving a four-hour 33-minute epic against French qualifier Arthur Gea. Twice he trailed, twice he responded, sealing victory in a deciding match tie-break, 10–3, in one of the tournament’s most dramatic encounters.
“I’m always going to fight and leave everything on the court,” Wawrinka said afterwards, drawing energy from a partisan crowd that turned the match into something closer to a celebration than a routine second-round contest. The former Australian Open champion, who will retire at the end of the 2026 season, even wore red, white and grey checked detailing on his shirt — a nod to the shorts he wore during his 2015 French Open triumph.
The win also carried historic weight. It was Wawrinka’s 49th five-set match at Grand Slams, moving him past Roger Federer to become the outright leader in the Open era for matches that have gone the distance. Across his first two rounds — including a 3-hour 19-minute comeback against Laslo Djere — he has now spent 7 hours and 52 minutes on court.
Facing a player who turned 21 earlier this month, Wawrinka relied on experience, resilience and his iconic one-handed backhand to outlast Gea. His reward is a third-round clash with ninth seed Taylor Fritz, another demanding test for a player who continues to defy time.
While Wawrinka fought for survival, Djokovic and Cilic advanced with ruthless efficiency. Fourth seed Djokovic dropped just seven games in a straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli, backing up his first-round victory without losing a set. The Serb will next face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp as he continues his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.
“I didn’t know much about him until a few days ago,” Djokovic said of Maestrelli. “But the respect is always there. He’s got a big serve and a big game — just lacking experience.”
Cilic was equally composed, beating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in straight sets despite an uneven serving display. The Croatian converted six break points and defended four of six, showing the calm that has carried him deep into majors throughout his career. “With the science and recovery now, guys can still play great tennis at 35, 36, 37,” Cilic said. “The younger generations can learn from this.”
Elsewhere, Jannik Sinner continued his serene progress. The world number two, who won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2025 and is now chasing a third consecutive Melbourne crown after titles in 2024 and 2025, dismissed Australia’s James Duckworth in straight sets. The Italian has not dropped a set this week and remains firmly on course for another deep run.
Yet it was Wawrinka who captured Melbourne Park’s imagination. Conducting the crowd between points and feeding off the noise, the three-time Grand Slam champion transformed his match into a reminder that endurance, experience and belief still have a place in the modern game.
Asked how he planned to recover before facing Fritz, Wawrinka laughed: “Maybe I’m going to pick up a beer — I deserve one.”
