Roaring fans were leaping from their seats in Kia Arena.
Stan Wawrinka jumped up and joined them in a spontaneous wave that washed over the arena.
Master multi-tasker Wawrinka turned back time—and turned on excited fan base winning a long night’s journey into the Australian Open third round.
The 40-year-old Wawrinka hit his way into history with a pulsating 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) victory over 21-year-old Frenchman Arthur Gea.
After this major mic drop moment, Wawrinka took the mic from Hall of Famer Mats Wilander and summed up his feeling in one word: “Exhausted.”
“As I told you, it’s my last Australian Open, so I’m trying to last as long as possible,” a smiling Wawrinka said.
Turning exhaustion to elation, Wawrinka credited vocal fans for firing him through the finish.
“Not only did I have fun but you gave me so much energy,” Wawrinka told fans. “I’m not so young anymore, so I need your energy. I need extra energy.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be on this court with so much noise, so much support. It was a long match. I don’t know how I’m going to recover, but I’m super happy.”
Twelve years after Wawrinka defeated both Novak Djokovic and No. 1 Rafael Nadal to win the 2014 Australian Open, Stan the Marathon Man delivered tremendous tennis when he needed it most.
In his 20th AO appearance, Wawrinka, at 40 years, 310 days, is the first man to reach a Grand Slam third round aged 40 or older since the 1978 Australian Open, when Ken Rosewall advanced to the third round aged 44 years 62 days. Wawrinka is the seventh man in Open Era history to reach a Grand Slam third round aged 40 or older – after legendary Pancho Gonzales (8 major third-round appearances aged 40 or older), Rosewall (6), Frank Sedgman and Torben Ulrich (both 2), and Mal Anderson and Pancho Segura (both 1).
Facing the French qualifier nearly 20 years his junior, Wawrinka’s experience, fitness and sheer fight carried him through.
In a valiant effort, Gea vomited on court at one point, and spent time between points in the match tiebreaker dropping into a low squat apparently combating cramps.
Leading 6-3 in the match tiebreaker, Wawrinka conjured a running rainbow lob that settled cleanly into the corner.
That shot-making magic brought fans to their feet and Gea to his knees.
On match point, Wawrinka slashed his signature shot—the one-handed backhand—down the line then crosscourt coaxing one final error to posted his 45th career AO match win and match Pete Sampras for ninth place on the Open Era AO win list.
Wild card Wawrinka won’t have too much time to savor this wild night’s win.
The three-time Grand Slam champion will face 2024 US Open finalist Taylor Fritz for a fourth-round spot.
The ninth-seeded Fritz, who has been battling knee tendinitis, rolled by Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Fritz put on a serving clinic serving 77 percent and pumping 15 aces against 1 double fault in a one-hour, 58-minute victory.
The winner of the Fritz-Wawrinka match will face either fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti or Tomas Machac in the round of 16.