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Warhorse Wawrinka Stays Alive at Farewell Australian Open

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Laslo Djere of Serbia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP)
Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Laslo Djere of Serbia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP)
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Warhorse Wawrinka Stays Alive at Farewell Australian Open

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Laslo Djere of Serbia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP)
Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Laslo Djere of Serbia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP)

Former champion Stan Wawrinka lived to fight another day with a gutsy four-set victory to kick off his final Australian Open campaign on Monday.

The three-time Grand Slam winner, 40, is playing his last season before retiring and gave his all to down Serbia's Laslo Djere 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in front of a Kia Arena crowd willing him to victory.

But he made life hard for himself, working 18 break points but only converting three of them in a draining 3hr 20min battle.

"It was amazing today, so thank you so much," said Wawrinka, who made his debut at Melbourne Park in 2006.

"It is my last year. It's been too long that I'm coming back, but the passion is still intact.
"But I'm not young any more, so I need to be careful also.

"It's my last time and I'm trying to enjoy it," he added. "But in the same time as I'm trying to compete. I'm always going to fight."

The Swiss stalwart, ranked 139, bounced back from losing the opening set to overwhelm the 92nd-ranked Djere in the second.

Defying his age, he then took the third before an energy-sapping fourth went to a tiebreak where the veteran's experience came into play.

"He's a great player. Last time we met, he beat me so I expected a tough match today," he said.

"But I'm happy with the discipline I put on myself, to keep staying with him, to keep fighting, trying to be a bit more aggressive, trying to find a way."

Wawrinka won the first of his majors at Melbourne in 2014, a season during which he peaked at world number three, and reached two other semi-finals.

Along with that title, he won the French Open a year later and the US Open in 2016.

The triumphs all came at a time when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were dominating men's tennis.

Wawrinka has 16 career ATP titles although the last came in Geneva in 2017.

He won Olympic gold in doubles alongside Federer at Beijing in 2008 and helped deliver a first Davis Cup triumph for Switzerland in 2014.

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Sports

Italy’s Winter Olympics Dream: A Record 22nd Medal Seals Its Best-Ever Games

Silver medalists Italy's Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva hold an Italian flag as they celebrate after the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP)
Silver medalists Italy's Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva hold an Italian flag as they celebrate after the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP)
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Italy’s Winter Olympics Dream: A Record 22nd Medal Seals Its Best-Ever Games

Silver medalists Italy's Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva hold an Italian flag as they celebrate after the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP)
Silver medalists Italy's Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva hold an Italian flag as they celebrate after the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP)

Now it’s official: host nation Italy is having its best ever Winter Olympics.

Italy picked up four medals in quick succession on Sunday — two golds, a silver and a bronze — to take its current total to 22 and surpass its previous best medal haul of 20, set more than 30 years ago, at the Lillehammer Games in 1994.

And there are still seven days left of competition.

Italy's cross-country team set Sunday off with bronze in the men's 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay before Federica Brignone won an incredible second gold medal at her home Games with victory in the giant slalom, barely a month after returning to racing following a horrific injury last year.

Less than an hour later, Michela Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva finished second in the mixed team snowboard cross to pick up Italy’s 21st medal at the Milan Cortina Games and break its previous mark.

And shortly after that, Lisa Vittozzi won gold in the 10-kilometer pursuit biathlon race.

The total is more than the target of 19 medals set by Italian Olympic Committee president Luciano Buonfiglio before the Games began.

The breakdown so far? Eight gold medals, four silver and 10 bronze.

In Lillehammer, Italy finished fourth in the final medal table — behind Russia, host nation Norway and Germany. At Milan Cortina, the Azzurri have consistently been in the top two.

At the last Winter Olympics, in Beijing, Italy won 17 medals. It fared worse the last time it hosted the Games, collecting 11 in Turin in 2006.

The signs that Italy could do something special at its home games were there right from Day 3, when the Azzurri had a record-breaking day on home snow and ice with a haul of six medals, the most the nation had ever won in a single day at the Winter Olympics.

“What an incredible day: six medals in 24 hours at the Winter Olympics will go down in history,” local organizing committee president Giovanni Malagò said. “And what’s also incredible is the multidisciplinary nature of the medals, we have become a country that is capable of being competitive in sports where we have never been.

“That is fundamental in the Olympic program and in the final medal table ... I have always been of the opinion that the strength of a country can be seen in how many medals in different sports you manage to earn, not necessarily the number of golds.”

The stories behind some of the medals have added to the feel-good moment sweeping the country.

The 35-year-old Brignone skied through the pain to win gold in the women’s super-G on Thursday, following a year spent largely in rehab after breaking multiple bones in her leg.

Arianna Fontana, the most decorated short track speedskater of all time, won her 12th and 13th medals, equaling fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti’s record for most Olympic medals by an Italian athlete — a mark that has stood since 1960.

“We’re getting to see the Italian team do incredibly well ... I’ve been very fortunate to have gotten to witness Federica’s and Arianna’s golds, which were just incredible,” International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said on Friday. “Their stories of resilience and fight and everything good in humanity was really showcased.

“Both athletes I have so much respect for ... Arianna is now the most decorated Italian athlete, summer or winter Olympian. And to do that at home, it’s so cool. I’m so excited for her. And you could feel in the stadium yesterday, last night, just the passion and the love and the respect.”

Sports

Leeds Survive Birmingham Scare to Reach FA Cup Fifth Round

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Birmingham City v Leeds United - St Andrew's Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 15, 2026 Leeds United's Sean Longstaff scores a penalty during the penalty shootout. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Birmingham City v Leeds United - St Andrew's Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 15, 2026 Leeds United's Sean Longstaff scores a penalty during the penalty shootout. (Reuters)
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Leeds Survive Birmingham Scare to Reach FA Cup Fifth Round

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Birmingham City v Leeds United - St Andrew's Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 15, 2026 Leeds United's Sean Longstaff scores a penalty during the penalty shootout. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Birmingham City v Leeds United - St Andrew's Knighthead Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 15, 2026 Leeds United's Sean Longstaff scores a penalty during the penalty shootout. (Reuters)

Leeds survived an FA Cup scare to reach the fifth round with a penalty shoot-out victory against second-tier Birmingham on Sunday.

Birmingham substitute Patrick Roberts snatched an 89th-minute equalizer at St Andrew's to cancel out Lukas Nmecha's 49th-minute opener for Leeds.

With a feisty fourth round tie level at 1-1 after extra time, Leeds won the shoot-out 4-2.

Joel Piroe, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff all converted their penalties for Daniel Farke's team.

Tommy Doyle's effort was saved by Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri before Roberts fired over the crossbar.

Battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, Leeds are one win away from reaching the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002-03.

Wolves also avoided an upset as they won 1-0 at fourth-division Grimsby.

Grimsby stunned Manchester United in the League Cup earlier this season.

But Wolves avoided similar embarrassment thanks to Santiago Bueno's 60th-minute goal from the visitors' first shot on target on a mud-caked pitch at Blundell Park.

Grimsby didn't manage to force Wolves 'keeper Sam Johnstone into a save until Andy Cook's header in the 90th minute.

It was Wolves' first away win since beating Manchester United in April.

Mired in a miserable season that has left them bottom of the Premier League and almost certain to be relegated, Rob Edwards' side can still salvage some pride in the FA Cup.

Sports

Bayern’s Neuer Sidelined with Calf Injury

Manuel Neuer of Munich reacts ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich 05 in Dortmund, Germany, 14 February 2026. (EPA)
Manuel Neuer of Munich reacts ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich 05 in Dortmund, Germany, 14 February 2026. (EPA)
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Bayern’s Neuer Sidelined with Calf Injury

Manuel Neuer of Munich reacts ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich 05 in Dortmund, Germany, 14 February 2026. (EPA)
Manuel Neuer of Munich reacts ahead of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich 05 in Dortmund, Germany, 14 February 2026. (EPA)

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set for a spell on the sidelines after tearing his calf muscle, the Bundesliga club announced on Sunday.

Neuer, 39, was subbed off at half-time in Saturday's 3-0 win at Werder Bremen which helped Bayern restore their six-point lead over Borussia Dortmund atop the Bundesliga table.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl initially said Neuer's substitution was a "precautionary measure" and the injury was "nothing dramatic".

A scan on Sunday, however, showed the tear was more serious than initially expected.

"Bayern Munich will have to do without Manuel Neuer for the time being," the league leaders said in a statement without indicating how long their captain would be out.

German media reported Neuer was in doubt for Bayern's trip to Dortmund at the end of February and would miss next Saturday's clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.

The veteran goalkeeper turns 40 in March and has been plagued by calf problems recently, missing 10 matches last season with a similar injury.

Bayern were 11 points clear in the German league at Christmas but Dortmund have drawn six points behind the leaders after a six-match winning run.