ATP Tour

Arthur Gea, 19 years his junior, embraces Wawrinka test on Australian Open debut

Arthur Gea may not have been born when Stan Wawrinka first stepped onto the ATP Tour in the early 2000s, but sentiment will take a back seat when the two meet in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Fresh off a stunning upset of 17th seed Jiri Lehecka in his Grand Slam main-draw debut on Monday, the 21-year-old Frenchman booked a marquee second-round clash with Wawrinka. The 40-year-old Swiss, a three-time major champion, is contesting his final season on the ATP Tour.

“It's going to be an incredible match,” Gea, the No. 198 in the PIF ATP Rankings, told ATPTour.com. “He’s a legend and I'm going to try to get it, but of course it’s going to be really cool. A match on a big stage… I'm happy about this.

“I was practising on clay, watching him [when I was younger]. It was incredible from him but I hope that I’m going to get it.”

Gea is riding a nine-match winning streak across all levels. He opened his 2026 season by claiming his maiden ATP Challenger title in Noumea, then carried that momentum through qualifying at Melbourne Park before making headlines in the main draw.

“I think I'm close to the best tennis of my life,” said Gea, who had no tour-level wins prior to his match with Lehecka. “The preseason was really hard, but good, so it’s going in a good way.”

Gea has followed a traditional path through the French Tennis Federation system before assembling his current support team. Along the way, he sought guidance from former World No. 10 and Davis Cup-winning countryman Lucas Pouille during last year’s Roland Garros, advice he credits as valuable during his transition to the next level.

A four-time champion on the ITF World Tennis Tour in 2025, Gea is now coached by Austrian Gerard Melzer and feels most comfortable on hard courts. His game is built around first-strike tennis balanced by resilience.

“I like to play with a big serve and big forehead, and also with good defence,” Gea explained. “I sometimes come to the net, but I really like to go with my forehand and try to move my opponent from right to left.”

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Arthur Gea knocks out No. 17 seed Lehecka on his Grand Slam debut.@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/SUB6RvJ4bM

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 19, 2026

That fearless mindset was on full display in his straight-sets victory over Lehecka, a two-time ATP Tour winner. Gea, who absorbed pressure and extended rallies, won 10 of 15 break points he carved out on Lehecka’s serve, according to Infosys Stats.

Now, in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Wawrinka, the Frenchman will hope to extend his rising run in Melbourne.