Stan Wawrinka’s Dream of Carlos Alcaraz Matchup Before Retirement Could Come True in Monte Carlo: “It Would Be Magical to Face Him”

Stan Wawrinka will face Carlos Alcaraz if he knocks out Sebastian Baez in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Stan Wawrinka’s Dream of Carlos Alcaraz Matchup Before Retirement Could Come True in Monte Carlo: “It Would Be Magical to Face Him”

Carlos Alcaraz and Stan Wawrinka (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Tiempo De Tenis)

In Short
  • Stan Wawrinka dreams of facing Carlos Alcaraz before retirement, with a potential matchup in Monte Carlo.
  • Wawrinka's first-round opponent at the Monte Carlo Masters is Sebastian Baez, whom he must defeat to meet Alcaraz.
  • Carlos Alcaraz enters the tournament as the defending champion, while Jannik Sinner aims to reclaim the No. 1 ranking.

Stan Wawrinka has faced Jannik Sinner several times on the tour, but he has never once locked horns with Carlos Alcaraz. He dreams of clashing with the seven-time Grand Slam champion this season before hanging up his racket.

Wawrinka will be happy thanks to the Monte Carlo Masters draw. The main draw of the third Masters 1000 is set to start on April 5, and Wawrinka’s opening-round opponent is Sebastian Baez. All Wawrinka needs to schedule his dream matchup with Alcaraz is to beat Baez.

It would be magical to face Carlos here. I believe he is taking tennis to another dimension; what he does on the court is exceptional.

Stan Wawrinka said during his pre-tournament press conference

On Saturday, Wawrinka and Alcaraz shared a training session, and the latter took to his Instagram to thank ‘Carlitos’ for it. Alcaraz, on his part, responded by writing Wawrinka’s famous nickname, ‘Stan The Man’.

The 41-year-old is the winner of one Masters 1000 title, and that trophy he lifted in The Principality back in 2014 by defeating compatriot Roger Federer. Since that win, the only time Wawrinka made a deep run in the tournament was in 2016 (quarterfinal). Last year, Alejandro Tabilo ended his run in the first round.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, will be entering the third Masters 1000 of the season as the defending champion. He beat Lorenzo Musetti last year to win his maiden title in the tournament. Alcaraz, the winner of eight Masters 1000 titles, has so far won four trophies at this level on clay.

Jannik Sinner on the No.1 ranking battle with Carlos Alcaraz

The Monte Carlo Masters is important for both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in terms of rankings. Sinner is just 1,190 points behind the Spaniard, who will be defending 1,000 points. The Italian has no point to defend as he missed the tournament last year. He will be chasing his second title on clay following his 2022 Croatia Open victory over Alcaraz.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Jannik Sinner HQ)

I feel like it helped me a lot in Indian Wells to get through very long sessions under the heat. I also didn’t struggle at the [2025] US Open in that regard, but more questions are going to be answered on this surface because matches might be a little bit longer. I personally like to play on clay. It’s not my favourite surface, but I do believe that I can play some good tennis too.

Jannik Sinner said at the pre-tournament press conference

Sinner will reclaim his No.1 spot if he wins the title. But there are multiple scenarios that will determine who leaves Monte Carlo as the top player.

If Sinner reaches the semifinals and Alcaraz closes his campaign before the quarterfinals, the former will be back at the top. Additionally, Sinner can dethrone his arch-rival if he progresses to the final, and the latter does not. If Sinner doesn’t reach the semifinals, Alcaraz will remain No.1.

I know the position, the situation, and the scenarios, but it’s not one tournament that will define who’s No. 1 or No. 2. It’s a tournament that I love to play, and I’m happy to be here. I will try to win as many matches as possible, but at the same time, there are even more tournaments coming up.

Jannik Sinner added

Sinner got this golden opportunity to reach the No.1 ranking after becoming the eighth man to complete the Sunshine Double. Alcaraz lost both the Indian Wells and the Miami Open without reaching the final. The four-time Major champion beat Daniil Medvedev and Jiri Lehecka in the Indian Wells and Miami Open, respectively.

Also read: Jannik Sinner Downplays ‘Secondary’ World No.1 Battle With Carlos Alcaraz at Monte Carlo