Wawrinka, 40, makes Grand Slam history by reaching the third round in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — He's 40. He just made Grand Slam history by beating a 21-year-old qualifier in a fifth-set tiebreaker to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

And if Stan Wawrinka felt like he deserved a beer after the longest match at the season's first major, nobody was going to argue.

Wawrinka had to dig deep Thursday to edge Arthur Gea in a 4-hour, 33-minute epic to become the first man 40 or older to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since the 1978 Australian Open.

The 2014 champion held it together while Gea struggled with cramps in the fifth set's 10-point tiebreaker, hanging on for 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3).

“I’ll pick up a beer,” he told the crowd in an on-court TV interview. “I deserve one!”

Ken Rosewall was the last man to go so far at a major in his 40s — he was 44 and that was 48 years ago.

Wawrinka announced last month that this year would be his last on the elite tour. Asked how he felt after two rounds, he got straight to the point: “Exhausted!”

“It’s my last Australian Open, so I’m trying to last as long as possible,” he told the crowd. “Not only I had fun but you gave me so much energy. I’m not young any more so I need the extra.”

Apart from clusters of vocal French fans, the crowd on KIA Arena was almost entirely behind the Swiss veteran, including a woman holding up a sign that featured a silhouette image of Wawrinka and the words “Stan the Man.”

He's earned the reputation, having played more five-set Grand Slam matches than anyone in the Open era: He's now 26-23.

Gea went to five sets for the first time and will no doubt take some lessons from the schooling.

“It was an incredible experience,” he said. “I will take time to analyze everything. But, yeah, it was cool.”

Both players could have ended it earlier. Wawrinka went up a break early in the fifth but couldn't hold it. After five sets, each player converted only four of their breakpoint chances.

By the time the tiebreaker came around, Wawrinka was confident he had the fitness to outlast the Frenchman who was 19 years his junior.

Gea’s right leg started cramping after he got to 1-1. After the next point the Frenchman had to squat on his legs.

He was cramping again when he served a double fault to give Wawrinka a 4-2 lead.

When Wawrinka netted to make it 5-3, the match officially became the longest of the tournament. The Swiss veteran lifted.

He finished a 21-shot rally with a touch volley that Gea scrambled for but couldn't reach and tumbled to the court.

A pinpoint lob made it 7-3, another double fault from Gea made it 8-3, and Wawrinka set up six match points with a forehand winner.

“I have good confidence in my fitness level that I can handle those long matches. For me, that’s not a problem to really keep it up with the level,” he said. “Today was again a big battle.”

The three-time major winner will next play No. 9 Taylor Fritz, the 2024 U.S. Open runner-up, who beat Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4).

Fritz said Wawrinka was one of the great competitors and he was excited to take him on.

“Looked up to Stan for a long time. I know he’s playing well,” Fritz said. “It’s so impressive the level and just the physicality he’s still bringing.”

The 28-year-old American said Wawrinka's age-defying form was impressive.

“I can barely imagine playing in, like, four years from now!”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Taylor Fritz of the U.S. reacts during his second round match against Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Arthur Gea of France reacts during his second round match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Arthur Gea of France in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a forehand return to Arthur Gea of France during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland serves to Arthur Gea of France at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland falls during his second round match against Arthur Gea of France at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland falls during his second round match against Arthur Gea of France at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Horror films have traditionally been left out of the Oscars, but as nominations for the 98th Academy Awards are announced Thursday, Ryan Coogler’s vampire tale “Sinners” could make history.

Nominations are being read starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern by presenters Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. Viewers can tune in live to Oscar.com, Oscars.org, the academy’s digital platforms and ABC's “Good Morning America.”

The first category read was supporting actress. The nominees are Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter LilIeaas for “Sentimental Value,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons,” Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners” and Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another.”

For supporting actor, the nominees are Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein,” Sean Penn for “One Battle After Another,” Stellan Skarsgård for “Sentimental Value,” Benicio del Toro for “One Battle After Another” and Delroy Lindo for “Sinners.”

No movie has ever landed more than 14 nominations — something achieved only by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” But “Sinners” could top that mark with a heap of nods for its lush craft, Coogler's writing and direction, and Michael B. Jordan’s acting (it would be his first nomination).

Right with it will likely be Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which has coasted through awards season as the clear frontrunner. The father-daughter revolutionary comedy could land 14 nominations of its own, including five or even six acting nominations.

Whatever the final tally is, Warner Bros. is poised for its best Oscar showing in the 102-year-old studio’s history. Both “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” should lead Warner Bros. to a record haul even as the studio prepares for its sale to Netflix. Earlier this week, Netflix amended its $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash offer, sweetening its offer over that of Paramount Skydance.

This year, the Oscars are introducing a new category for casting. That new honor helped “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” pad their already impressive stats. Along with those two films, the nominees are “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme” and “The Secret Agent.”

“Sinners” can also be found among the nominees for original song: “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters,” “Train Dreams” from “Train Dreams,” “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentess,” “I Lied To You” from “Sinners” and “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!”

Ten films will be nominated for best picture. Along with the two favorites, movies such as the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value,” the Shakespeare drama “Hamnet” and the table tennis odyssey “Marty Supreme” are expected to be in the mix.

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and will be televised live on ABC and Hulu. YouTube's new deal to exclusively air won't take effect until 2029. This year, Conan O’Brien will return as host.

For more coverage of the Oscars and nominations, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards.

A replica of an Academy Awards statuette is pictured prior to the 98th Oscars nominations announcement on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

FILE - An Oscar statue appears at the 91st Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon, Feb. 4, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP, File)