Stan Wawrinka has been a big talking point at the Australian Open this year.
Wawrinka announced that he would be retiring in 2026, with the three-time Grand Slam champion receiving a wildcard for the Australian Open as a result.
Despite being 40 years old, Wawrinka has impressed at the start of the year and was handed an opportunity with his first round draw at the Australian Open against Laslo Djere.
After Wawrinka won his first match at the Australian Open in five years, former world number one Andy Roddick has given his reaction.
Andy Roddick reacts to Stan Wawrinka’s first round win at the Australian Open
Even at the latter stages of his decorated career, Wawrinka is still working on improving his game and his dedication to the sport has been greatly appreciated by tennis fans in Australia.
When reacting to the Swiss winning his first Grand Slam match since 2025, Roddick admitted that he likes the way Wawrinka is having a farewell tour this year and drew comparisons to his own retirement from singles competition in 2012.
“If that’s not full of appreciation, who knows what is? I don’t know that Stan’s ever been the guy to cry at a hallmark commercial,” Roddick said on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast. “It’s going to be a really fun year, I think he’s full of gratitude, you believe everything he is saying.
“The crowd obviously reacts…This is great, I like having the ability, I didn’t do it this way, I just said, see you bye, thanks, that was fun, I do like the chance to celebrate our champions over an extended period of time, throughout the year.”
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Wawrinka would have had to put a lot of physical and emotional effort into beating Djere, and while there are concerns about whether he will be able to live up to this in his next match, Roddick believes it could actually help him instead.
“I could even make the argument that it’s an emotional boost, also,” added Roddick. “I could argue either side of that, I don’t think so.
“And it’s not as if Stan has been front and centre, top of mind over the last three or four years, he’s been back and forth between Challengers. I think the mental tank is probably pretty full, I wouldn’t think so. I reckon the net, net of support vs toll, is largely positive.”
Stan Wawrinka has been given a big opportunity at the Australian Open
While winning just one match is seen as a success for Wawrinka at this stage of his career, he may be able to take this even further.
Wawrinka was forecasted to play top 20 player Jiri Lehecka in the second round, but his draw has now been opened up after the Czech was stunned by qualifier Arthur Gea.
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This was the first main draw Grand Slam win of Gea’s career, and he will now have to face a packed crowd who are likely to be mostly on the side of Wawrinka.
If Wawrinka is able to beat Gea then he will reach the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2020.
This is where he could play ninth seed Taylor Fritz, who has been struggling with a knee injury ahead of the Australian Open.
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