Winding back the clock in his swansong Australian Open appearance, marks of a Stan Wawrinka campaign endure.
The highlights-heavy backhands, the crowd-rousing bellows and the index finger pointing to his temple – a nod to his toughness under duress.
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It was fitting that another five-set epic – so often part of his 20-year journey at Melbourne Park – should be added to his record.
For the 49th time in his career, the 40-year-old wildcard’s match went the distance – this time he rode the Kia Arena crowd’s tsunami of support to hold off French qualifier Arthur Gea in the second round.
AO 2013, fourth round, RLA: (1) Novak Djokovic d. (15) Stan Wawrinka 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-7(5) 12-10
It is the match that still holds its own among the highest-quality five-set classics contested at a major – the reigning champion Novak Djokovic against a red-lining Wawrinka under the lights at AO 2013.
The perfect contrast in playing styles produced a showdown for the ages when Wawrinka stood toe-to-toe with the world No.1 for more than five hours – a career-shaping defeat that unlocked his belief that he finally had what it took on the big stages.
“It was a really tough loss, but that was the first time that something clicked in me mentally that I start to believe that I was going to be able to beat them again and again and that happened the next year,” Wawrinka told The Sit-Down podcast.
AO 2014, quarterfinals, RLA: (8) Stan Wawrinka d. (2) Novak Djokovic 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7
That decisive breakthrough came in an AO rematch in 2014 – another tussle between the defending champion, Djokovic, and the challenger, Wawrinka, who was now a bona fide top-10 star following his first Grand Slam semifinal in New York.
For the second straight year, the two battled at a level of sustained intensity under lights at Rod Laver Arena and this time, the Swiss held his nerve to break a 14-match losing streak against his great rival en-route to his maiden Grand Slam title.
“I don't want to lose every time in five sets against Novak. I had to find solution,” Wawrinka said. “I came on the court tonight with a lot of confidence in myself, knowing that if I play my best game, I always have a chance against him.”
AO 2017, semifinal, RLA: (17) Roger Federer d. (4) Stan Wawrinka 7-5 6-3 1-6 4-6 6-3
Having halted Djokovic for the second time in a Grand Slam final at the preceding US Open, Wawrinka had confirmed his standing among the modern greats as a triple major champion.
In an all-Swiss showdown between 17-time major champion Roger Federer and Wawrinka, resilience rather than sheer shot-making defined this clash after Wawrinka left the court almost in tears to have his knee strapped at two sets down.
With his back to the wall in his third Australian Open semifinal in four years, Wawrinka bullied his way back before his 17th-seeded compatriot – in only his second event back following six months out – booked a return to the final.
“He’s (an) amazing player to watch and to see on the court,” Wawrinka said in defeat. “He’s flying on the court. He’s playing amazing tennis. He’s the best player ever.”
AO 2020, fourth round, MCA: (15) Stan Wawrinka d. (4) Daniil Medvedev 6-2 2-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2
Having already needed five sets to keep Italian Andreas Seppi at bay in the previous round, Wawrinka again took the long route when he ran into world No.4 Daniil Medvedev at Margaret Court Arena.
Wawrinka had lifted himself back from 59th in the world the previous year to No.15, a year in which he had succumbed to Medvedev in the US Open quarterfinals.
Few expected the Swiss to snatch momentum in their fourth round following a mid-match dip in confidence, but with the crowd in his corner he rallied to secure his fifth AO quarterfinal.
"It's amazing to keep playing here, at that level,” he said. “I'm pretty happy with what I've done on the court and looking to playing another quarterfinal here. Won my first Grand Slam here, always going to be special (place).”
AO 2026, second round, KA: (WC) Stan Wawrinka d. (Q) Arthur Gea 4-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-6(3)
The Swiss joked he would likely need a beer to recover in time for his third round against Taylor Fritz after surviving a four-hour, 33-minute struggle against 21-year-old qualifier Gea on Thursday.
It was the tongue-in-cheek throwaway he offered an ecstatic Kia Arena crowd after the support lifted him across the line and made him the oldest man to reach the last 32 at the Australian Open since Ken Rosewall in 1978.
“Knowing that my last one here, my last Australian Open, my last year, it's really special,” he said. “The emotions are really completely different. It's a feeling that's tough to describe, but it's the reason why at 40 I'm still pushing myself, pushing the limit, practising hard the off-season, it's to live those moments.”