Veterans Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic and Novak Djovokic make rousing starts at Australian Open
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka celebrating after winning his Australian Open first-round match against Serbia's Laslo Djere 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) at Melbourne Park on Jan 19. The 40-year-old Swiss had previously announced that 2026 would be his last season on the ATP Tour.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MELBOURNE – Former Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka turned the clock back to come from a set down and beat unseeded Serb Laslo Djere 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) on Jan 19, while Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic also flew the flag for the veterans with more ruthless performances.
The 40-year-old Wawrinka, who claimed his three Grand Slam titles during the golden era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, is making his final Melbourne Park appearance as a wild card after announcing that 2026 would be his last season on the ATP Tour
He made a sluggish start but roared back to life after the opening set, sealing his first Grand Slam match victory since Wimbledon in 2024 and his first at Melbourne since 2021 to huge applause from fans at a packed Show Court Arena.
“It’s been a long journey, it’s been amazing with so many memories here... The only reason I come back is because of the love you (fans) give me,” said an emotional Wawrinka.
“It’s my last year. The passion is still intact but I’m not young any more. Today was amazing, it’s so special for me to enter the court and a Grand Slam. It’s the reason I practise hard with my team every off-season and every day, to have a chance to compete with the best players in the world.”
Wawrinka will take on France’s Arthur Gea, who beat 17th seed Jiri Lehecka, in the second round.
“I’m so happy that I won and I have a chance to play one more here,” the Swiss added. “It’s my last time here and I’m trying to enjoy it, but at the same time I’m trying to compete. I’m a competitor so I’m always going to fight. Hopefully I’m going to play another good match.”
Former Australian Open finalist Cilic also looked in prime form as he beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) earlier.
The towering 37-year-old won the opening 12 games with minimum fuss to spark chatter of a rare Grand Slam main-draw “triple bagel” – winning a match in three sets without dropping a game – which has been achieved by only five players in the professional era, the last being Sergi Bruguera in the 1993 French Open.
Cilic, the 2018 runner-up at Melbourne Park, saved a break point at the start of the third set to remain on track but Altmaier suddenly clicked into gear.
The German made it 1-1 and it was a more even contest from there, as the Croatian veteran had to rally from behind in the tiebreak to close out the win and book a second-round clash with the 21st-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
World No. 4 Djokovic began his hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over unseeded Pedro Martinez of Spain, as the Serb eased pre-tournament concerns about his fitness with a sparkling display.
Doubts had been raised about Djokovic’s preparedness for the Major he has won a record 10 times, after the 38-year-old skipped the Adelaide International and cut short practice on Jan 18, but he had no trouble sealing his 100th match win at Melbourne Park.
“What can I say? I like the sound of it – centurion is pretty nice, it’s a nice feeling to be a centurion,” Djokovic remarked as a montage of his greatest Melbourne moments at Rod Laver Arena played out on the big screen.
“History-making is great motivation, particularly in the last five to 10 years of my career. Once I got myself into a position to eventually make history, I was even more inspired to play the best tennis, and that’s what I’ve done.”
The Serb will next face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.
Eleventh seed Daniil Medvedev battled past Dutchman Jesper de Jong 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) and will face Quentin Halys of France in the second round, while 13th-seeded Andrey Rublev breezed past Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to set up a tie with Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria.
Home favourite and world No. 6 Alex de Minaur saw off Mackenzie McDonald of the US 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 and will face Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia next.
Meanwhile in the women’s draw, third-seeded American Coco Gauff started her quest for a maiden Australian Open title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova at Rod Laver Arena to reach the second round on Jan 19, but was less than convincing at the start and struggled with her serve.
“I tried not to put too much pressure on myself,” the American said. “I am only satisfied if I win, but I am proud of myself regardless of how I get on.”
Her reward is a clash against Venus Williams’ conqueror Olga Danilovic of Serbia.
World No. 2 and six-time Major winner Iga Swiatek was made to work unexpectedly hard against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
The Pole, who will complete a career Grand Slam of all four Majors if she breaks her Australian Open duck, eventually saw off her spirited opponent 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 and will next face Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.
“I was a bit rusty at the beginning,” said Swiatek. “For sure many ups and downs, but overall I have some stuff to work on.”
Fourth seed Amanda Anisimova of the US beat Swiss Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2 to set up a meeting with either Panna Udvardy of Hungary or the Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova in the next round.
Another American Jessica Pegula beat Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova 6-2, 6-1. The world No. 6 will next face compatriot McCartney Kessler. REUTERS, AFP
