Stan Wawrinka was excellent down under…
Playing the Australian Open for the final time, Wawrinka won his opening match against Laslo Djere in four sets, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.
Then, he beat Arthur Gea in a five-set thriller, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2023.
It was in the third round that his run came to an end, however, losing to Taylor Fritz on John Cain Arena.
Despite coming up short, Wawrinka proved he still has a lot left to give in his last year on tour.
But where did the three-time Grand Slam champion go after the Australian Open?
Well, he headed to the South of France, for the Open Occitanie in Montpellier.
There, he met Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in the first round.
Stan Wawrinka shares thank you message after first-round win in Montpellier
Wawrinka made light work of a man 18 years his junior, defeating Medjedovic in straight sets, 7-6, 6-4.
After the match, Wawrinka shared the following message on his Instagram account.
“Thanks for the support at the Open Occitanie,” he said.
He shared several pictures of him signing balls and autographs for his many fans in France.
Wawrinka is a popular figure in tennis, and fans are desperate to catch one last glimpse of him before he retires later this year.
There’s still work for Wawrinka to do in Montpellier, though, as he now prepares to take on the number-one seed.
Can Stan Wawrinka shock Felix Auger-Aliassime?
Wawrinka will play the top seed and defending champion, Felix Auger-Aliassime, in the second round of the 2026 Open Occitanie.
The pair have never met before on the ATP Tour, but it’s the Canadian who enters the match as a clear favorite.
Auger-Aliassime finished his 2025 campaign in fine form, leading many to suggest he was the player most likely to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2026.
He was unable to do so in Australia, losing in the first round to Nuno Borges, but remains a formidable opponent.
If Wawrinka is to knock out Auger-Aliassime and reach the quarterfinals, he’ll need to roll back the years and produce a world-class performance.
Only time will tell if he can emerge victorious, but you certainly won’t want to miss their second-round match.
Wawrinka will play Auger-Aliassime for a spot in the Open Occitanie quarterfinals on Thursday, February 5.
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