Tennis-Wawrinka shrugs off 23‑year age gap to beat teenager Boogaard in Rotterdam

Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka added another highlight ​to his farewell season by ​overcoming a 23-year age gap ‌in ​a 6-3 6-4 victory over 17-year-old Thijs Boogaard in the first round of the Rotterdam Open on Wednesday. The ‌40-year-old's match against Dutch lucky loser Boogaard featured the second-largest age gap in ATP Tour and Grand Slam history. Dominic Thiem was 18 when he beat 44-year-old Thomas ‌Muster in Vienna in 2011.

"I'm happy with the way I was playing," ‌Wawrinka said. "He's a really young player. He has many years on tour for sure. But I was really happy with the level today. I was focused on myself, trying to be aggressive.

"The ⁠conditions ​are quite slow, ⁠so it's never easy really to dictate. But I'm happy with my level so far." Three-times Grand ⁠Slam champion Wawrinka, who said last year that 2026 would be his final season, takes ​on Australian world number eight Alex de Minaur next.

"He's a tough player," ⁠Wawrinka said. "Especially in these conditions, it's going to be difficult to generate something. But I'm looking ⁠forward ​to the challenge. I've been playing some good matches against top players, so I'm always trying to push myself."

Wawrinka made his Grand Slam breakthrough by ⁠winning the 2014 Australian Open and last month became the oldest man to reach ⁠the third round ⁠of the Melbourne major since Ken Rosewall. He is expected to play in the other Grand Slams this year before wrapping ‌up his ‌career.