PERTH, Australia (AP) — Stan Wawrinka’s 40-year-old legs didn’t let him down Saturday in the first singles match of his 2026 farewell tour, which lasted more than three hours.
Three-time Grand Slam singles champion Wawrinka defeated 29th-ranked French player Arthur Rinderknech 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6(5). Wawrinka was ranked 157th. The game lasted 3 hours and 16 minutes.
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Wawrinka announced in December that this year would be his last on the ATP Tour.
Ahead of his first match, Wawrinka said he hopes to improve his current ranking and return to the top 100 before retiring. His highest ranking was No. 3 when he won the 2014 Australian Open.
“I’m happy with the decision (to retire) and at peace with it,” Wawrinka said.
The Fed Cup is one of many events taking place in the two weeks leading up to the Australian Open, which kicks off in Melbourne on January 18.
His teammate Belinda Bencic beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday to give the Swiss a 2-0 lead.
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
