Stan Wawrinka defeats teenager 23 years younger in opening round of Rotterdam Open
It is the second largest age gap in an ATP official match.
Stan Wawrinka is one of the oldest active tennis players at 40. Although the Swiss player has already confirmed this will be his final season (in which he will turn 41 in May) he continues to compete at a very high level, as seen in a 4 hour, 33 minute match at the Australian Open.
Currently at the ATP 500 Rotterdam Open, Wawrinka's age made headlines again when he defeated a 17-year-old player, Thijs Boogaard, in the first round. The teenager entered the competition as a lucky loser, but fell to Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3... and the match made history because it became the second-largest age gap in ATP Tour and Grand Slam history.
Wawrinka is 23 year and three months older than Boogaard. Only a 2011 match between Dominic Thiem (18) and Thomas Muster (44) had a larger age gap, of 25 year and 11 months.
Wawrinka will next face the favourite for the title in Rotterdam, Alex de Miñaur, two times defending finalist: the match takes place today, Thursday, not before 14:30 CET.
