Stan Wawrinka will chase a place in ATP Challenger Tour history on Sunday in Rennes, where he faces top seed Hugo Gaston in the Open Blot Rennes final. A victory would make the Swiss player, now 40 years and five months old, the oldest champion in Challenger history.
Wawrinka’s Journey in the Challenger Circuit
Wawrinka is already the second-oldest finalist on the circuit, behind Ivo Karlovic, who reached a final at 40 years and eight months. Karlovic holds the current record as the oldest Challenger champion, winning in Calgary in 2018 at 39 years and seven months.
A title in Rennes would also be Wawrinka’s first on a hard court since the 2016 US Open. The three-time major winner advanced to the final by defeating Patrick Zahraj 7-6(3), 6-3.
Only three players aged 40 or older have reached a Challenger final, and Wawrinka has done it twice this year. Earlier this season, he finished runner-up in Aix-en-Provence after a three-hour, 11-minute battle against former world No. 12 Borna Coric.
The Rennes final is scheduled to begin not before 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. ET) on Sunday. As Wawrinka aims for this historic title, fans worldwide will be watching closely to see if he can make history in the ATP Challenger Tour.
With his remarkable career and experience, Wawrinka’s pursuit of the title not only highlights his longevity in the sport but also his relentless spirit to compete at the highest levels, proving that age is just a number in the world of professional tennis.