Taylor Fritz has been battling hard at this year’s Australian Open, where he is now into the third round.
Fritz has been struggling with injury in recent times, but it hasn’t prevented the American from edging past both Valentin Royer and Vit Kopriva.
He is the ninth seed at the Australian Open, which Fritz entered after going 1-3 for the USA at the United Cup at the start of 2026.
Fritz has complained about the busy season despite committing to that event, but the American now has a much bigger problem to worry about.
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Taylor Fritz handed major blow with Stan Wawrinka clash
Like Fritz, Stan Wawrinka is enjoying his time at the Australian Open, in what is his farewell appearance at the Grand Slam.
Wawrinka received a wildcard to play at the hard-court tournament, which he won all the way back in 2014.
The ATP veteran, who will retire at the end of the season, will now take on Fritz in round three after battling past Arthur Gea 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(10-3).
Wawrinka enjoyed huge support from the fans watching that breathtaking clash, with the legendary figure putting on a show in every sense of the word.
That crowd support, and indeed his history in Melbourne, are just two reasons why Wawrinka represents a major threat to Fritz’s Australian Open title hopes.
The Swiss star will be on cloud nine right now amid his dazzling run, with the fans clearly wanting him to go as far as possible before his final goodbye.
Perhaps Fritz’s only saving grace is that the 40-year-old could be fatigued by his recent efforts on the court.
But even after a four-hour, 33-minute epic against Gea, Wawrinka has huge momentum on his side, boosted by one final attempt at an unthinkable fourth Grand Slam title.
Of course, he also has experience on his side, boasting three Grand Slam titles from his career, while Fritz doesn’t have any.
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Taylor Fritz vs Stan Wawrinka head-to-head before Australian Open showdown
Wawrinka may have been forgiven for thinking he wouldn’t even be competing at the Australian Open, with organisers having left it rather late to confirm his wildcard.
But it has turned out to be a superb decision, with the Swiss hero having more than justified his place in Melbourne.
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It arrives after he produced phenomenal displays for Switzerland at the United Cup, which could be another worry for Fritz.
The duo almost met at the tournament earlier this season, but Poland knocked out the USA before their final win over Switzerland.
| Year | Winner | Tournament | Round | Surface | Score |
| 2023 | Taylor Fritz | ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo | Round of 32 | Outdoor Clay | 76(10) 62 |
| 2018 | Stan Wawrinka | Tokyo | Round of 32 | Indoor Hard | 63 64 |
| 2016 | Stan Wawrinka | Wimbledon | Round of 128 | Outdoor Grass | 76(4) 61 67(2) 64 |
Fritz and Wawrinka have, however, met three times in their ATP careers so far, and again their history is not good news for the American.
The Swiss veteran has won two of those three matches, including their only Grand Slam clash at Wimbledon in 2016.
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