Wawrinka launches farewell season with thrilling United Cup win

The 40-year-old held off Arthur Rinderknech to join team-mate Belinda Bencic as a winner after she began the tie 6-2, 6-4 over Leolia Jeanjean. Wawrinka is competing in Perth for the first time in his long career and needed to battle for nearly three and a half hours to defeat an opponent a decade his junior. The three-time Grand Slam champion sealed victory on his first match point and said: "It's amazing to have such support on my first time here. "After 20 years on the tour it's amazing to finally play here.