Stan Wawrinka said farewell to another tournament close to his heart Monday, as he looked ahead to the remainder of his final season on tour.
The three-time major winner bowed out in the first round of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at the hands of Sebastian Baez. The Argentine battled to a 7-5, 7-5 victory, putting an end to Wawrinka’s storied history at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
It was here in 2014 where the future Hall of Famer celebrated his lone 1000-level trophy, rallying to defeat countryman Roger Federer after being within two points of defeat. Wawrinka debuted 20 years ago at the famed Monte-Carlo Country Club, eventually making his mark with a semifinal run in 2009 on the back of his first head-to-head win over Federer.
“Matches against Roger were always complicated because of this close relationship, so having been able to overcome this and win the tournament was exceptional for me,” he reflected in press.
