MELBOURNE, Jan ‌22 (Reuters) - Stan Wawrinka lived to fight another day in his final Australian Open on Thursday, the three-times ‌Grand Slam winner battling to a marathon 4-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-6(10-3) win over Frenchman Arthur ‌Gea to reach the third round at Melbourne Park.

The 40-year-old Wawrinka, who won his first Grand Slam in Melbourne in 2014 before going on to capture the French Open in 2015 and the U.S. Open a year later, had announced before the tournament that he would retire ‍at the end of the 2026 season.