Stan Wawrinka's Monte Carlo Farewell Ends in First-Round Defeat
Stan Wawrinka bid an emotional farewell to the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday, falling 7-5, 7-5 to Sebastian Baez in the first round. The 41-year-old Swiss star, a three-time Grand Slam champion who will retire at the end of this season, entered the main draw as a wild card, marking 20 years since his debut at this prestigious tournament.
A Nostalgic Tribute to a 2014 Triumph
Wawrinka, who won his sole ATP 1000-level title in Monte Carlo back in 2014 by defeating compatriot Roger Federer, was honored with a video homage by tournament organizers. "It was a long time ago, but of course I remember it, it was exceptional," Wawrinka said on-court. "To have the chance to play this final here, with this exceptional tournament, and to win it in addition, will always be one of my best memories of my career."
Match Analysis: Baez Outlasts Wawrinka in Tight Contest
Despite limited recent match play—his only outing since February was a loss to a lower-ranked player in a challenger event—Wawrinka started strongly on Court Rainier III, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. However, the 65th-ranked Argentine Baez fought back to level at 5-5 before breaking Wawrinka's serve in the 11th game to seize control.
In the second set, Baez broke early and maintained his advantage, eventually closing out the victory in one hour and 47 minutes after weathering a late comeback attempt from the former world number three. This win sets up a second-round clash for Baez against world number one and reigning Monte Carlo champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Other Notable Results from Monte Carlo
In other action at the Monte Carlo Masters, several seeds navigated challenging matches:
- Three-time former winner Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a straight-sets loss to 16th seed Francisco Cerundolo. Tsitsipas has not beaten a top-20 player on clay since August 2024.
- 2023 champion Andrey Rublev, the 13th seed, overcame a topsy-turvy opener to defeat Nuno Borges 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. He will next face Zizou Bergs, who advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Adrian Mannarino.
- Arthur Rinderknech eased past 12th seed Karen Khachanov 7-5, 6-2 and will play Joao Fonseca, who defeated Gabriel Diallo in straight sets.
- Czech 11th seed Jiri Lehecka needed three sets to overcome US qualifier Emilio Nava.
As the tournament progresses, fans are eagerly watching the emerging matchups and potential upsets on the clay courts of Monaco.
