Video - Australian Open's Message Celebrating Wawrinka's 40th Birthday
This Friday, March 28, a tennis legend celebrates his birthday. It’s Stan Wawrinka, who is currently competing at the Naples Challenger. On his 40th birthday, the Swiss champion will take to the court in the coming hours to face Luciano Darderi.
Meanwhile, numerous tributes have already poured in on social media, including from the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Australian Open. Eleven years ago, during the 2014 edition in Melbourne, Wawrinka claimed the first of his three Grand Slam titles after defeating Rafael Nadal in the final.
On social media, the Australian Open shared a video of the trophy ceremony from that time, along with a snippet of Wawrinka’s speech. His performance had dazzled tennis observers, highlighted by his iconic one-handed backhand that wreaked havoc on opponents.
During the tournament, he defeated players like Tommy Robredo, home favorite Novak Djokovic, and Tomas Berdych before overcoming the Spaniard—who was struggling with a back injury—in the final (see below).
A former world No. 3 and winner of 16 ATP titles (including the 2015 French Open, the 2016 US Open, and the 2014 Monte-Carlo Masters, among others), Wawrinka also triumphed in the 2014 Davis Cup with Switzerland against France and won Olympic doubles gold in 2008 in Beijing alongside Roger Federer.
He also competed in the ATP Finals four times (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016), reaching the semifinals in his first three appearances in London. He remains, alongside Andy Murray, the only player to have won multiple Grand Slams during the Big 3’s peak era.
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