Wawrinka Channels Crowd Energy for Australian Open Revival
In his farewell year at 40, Stan Wawrinka turned a packed Kia Arena into his ally, rallying from a set down to outlast Laslo Djere and claim his first Australian Open victory in five years.
On a buzzing Kia Arena under Melbourne’s relentless sun, Stan Wawrinka stepped onto the court with the quiet resolve of a player chasing echoes of past glory. The 40-year-old Swiss, wildcard entry in his final season on tour, absorbed an early setback against Laslo Djere, dropping the first set 5-7 before unleashing a surge fueled by the crowd’s roar. This gritty 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) comeback marked his first win at the Australian Open in five years, snapping a four-match losing streak at majors and reigniting the fire that once claimed the 2014 title here.
Crowd surges fuel the turnaround
Despite a light smattering of Swiss flags amid the sea of spectators, the support swelled into a tangible force, pulling Wawrinka through the longer rallies where endurance tested his recovering frame. He hung tough, winning 58 percent of points lasting nine or more shots by mixing defensive slices with opportunistic counters. The psychological lift was immediate; as the second set turned, the arena’s energy mirrored his shift from survival to dominance, turning Djere’s steady baseline pressure into mounting frustration.
Djere, the steady Serbian, pushed with deep crosscourt forehands that stretched the veteran wide, but Wawrinka adapted, using underspin to disrupt rhythm and extend exchanges on the medium-paced hard courts. This tactical patience, honed over 75 major starts, allowed him to dictate tempo when it mattered most.
“It has been a long journey. It has been amazing, so many memories here, it has been incredible. The only reason I come back is because of the love you give me, it was amazing today,” Wawrinka said in his on-court interview. “It is my last year. The passion is still intact. I am not young anymore, so I have to be careful.
“Today was amazing, so special to be on court and at a Grand Slam. It is the reason I train hard every day with my team, to be here competing with the best players in the world. I am so happy I won and have a chance to play one more match here. I am trying to enjoy but I am also a competitor, so I am always going to fight and hopefully I will play another good match.”
Slices and serves anchor the fight
Wawrinka’s serve became his fortress, landing 86 percent of first deliveries and 64 percent on seconds to keep Djere at arm’s length during critical holds. He carved out 18 break points, converting three, with a pivotal boomerang break in the fourth set erasing a 2-4 deficit through a sharp inside-out forehand that clipped the line. These moments showcased his one–two patterns—serve followed by heavy topspin—blending caution with the aggression that defined his prime, all while conserving energy on a surface that grips the ball for added bounce.
The match’s tactical core lay in those extended rallies, where Wawrinka’s slices floated low to neutralize Djere’s flat drives, buying precious seconds for his legs. This blend of defense and delivery not only evened the score but echoed the mental grind of a player defying time, his first Grand Slam win since Wimbledon 2024 a testament to unrelenting preparation.
Legacy run eyes deeper Melbourne push
Now in his 20th Australian Open appearance, Wawrinka draws on triumphs at Roland Garros in 2015 and the US Open in 2016 to fuel what’s next: a second-round clash with the winner between 17th-seeded Czech Jiri Lehecka and 21-year-old French qualifier Arthur Gea. Lehecka’s power could test the Swiss’s adaptability on these hard courts, while Gea’s qualifier fire might drag rallies into uncharted endurance battles. As the tournament unfolds, this victory positions him to chase more waves of support, transforming a sentimental farewell into a competitive charge through Melbourne’s heat.
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