Former champion Stan Wawrinka says goodbye to Monte Carlo with first-round defeat

[p]The 41-year-old three-time Grand Slam winner will retire from tennis at the end of the season and entered the main draw in Monaco as a wild card 20 years on from his debut at the tournament.[/p][p]The Swiss won his sole 1000-level title 12 years ago in the principality when he defeated his compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/federer-roger/GrsQDFC0/"]Roger Federer[/a].[/p][embed guid="e8b8dc8a-e2b5-487f-9c7d-20ad261bd9f9" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2041139700035895331" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]It was a long time ago, but of course I remember it, it was exceptional[/b]," [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wawrinka-stan/Uo9lu6le/"]Wawrinka[/a] said on court of his 2014 victory after tournament organisers showed a video homage to him.[/p][p]"[b]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[/b]."[/p][p]Heading into his round of 64 meeting with 65th-ranked Argentinian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baez-sebastian/dd8jLjtO/"]Baez[/a], Wawrinka's only match since losing to eventual winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a] in the last 16 at February's Dubai Open was a three-set defeat to then-world number 348 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martineau-matteo/IDkmT0Hj/"]Matteo Martineau[/a] at a challenger event on clay in Naples late last month.[/p][p]Despite that, Wawrinka raced out of the blocks on Court Rainier III as he took a 4-1 lead in the opening set.[/p][p]Baez hit back to level scores at 5-5 before pouncing on Wawrinka's serve in the 11th game to get ahead.[/p][embed guid="1d3d2273-038e-4714-a6ef-8843609cfd04" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2041141564961939828" social-type="twitter" /][p]Wawrinka then lost his opening service game of the second frame as Baez took control of the match, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/baez-s-dd8jLjtO/wawrinka-s-Uo9lu6le/?mid=tOUKfgbd"]eventually closing out victory in one hour and 47 minutes[/a] after weathering a stirring late comeback by the former world number three.[/p][p]As reward for his win, Baez will next face world number one and reigning Monte Carlo champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] in the second round.[/p][p]Elsewhere, three-time former winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cerundolo-f-lWQ3G6gB/tsitsipas-s-hb6oWfc6/?mid=Q78fTD4L"]in straight sets[/a] to 16th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-francisco/lWQ3G6gB/"]Francisco Cerundolo[/a].[/p][p]Tsitsipas has not beaten a top-20 player on clay since August 2024.[/p][embed guid="1d810a7b-fcf1-4169-ac3a-3c5e2466bbf8" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2041173170175049929" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rublev-andrey/AeAn4gP0/"]Andrey Rublev[/a] navigated his way through a topsy-turvy opener as the 13th seed beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borges-nuno/hzbEPIOa/"]Nuno Borges[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/borges-n-hzbEPIOa/rublev-a-AeAn4gP0/?mid=40SZ3cyA"]6-4, 1-6, 6-1[/a] to set up a round of 32 meeting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bergs-zizou/SbeTx1o8/"]Zizou Bergs[/a].[/p][p]World number 47 Bergs booked his spot thanks to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/bergs-z-SbeTx1o8/mannarino-a-fLOdtByM/?mid=CQVs2y6M"]6-4, 6-3[/a] victory against 37-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mannarino-adrian/fLOdtByM/"]Adrian Mannarino[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rinderknech-arthur/pIxZZsof/"]Arthur Rinderknech[/a] eased past 12th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khachanov-karen/4bNPtZT5/"]Karen Khachanov[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/khachanov-k-4bNPtZT5/rinderknech-a-pIxZZsof/?mid=l8OMEEkS"]7-5, 6-2[/a] and will next play the winner of the meeting between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diallo-gabriel/2TgBLj6G/"]Gabriel Diallo[/a].[/p]