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)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)