Monte-Carlo 2023: Fritz vs Wawrinka Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters second-round match featuring Taylor Fritz vs Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

Fritz vs Wawrinka Match Preview and Prediction

World No. 10 Taylor Fritz will kick off his clay swing against former Monte-Carlo Masters champion Stan Wawrinka. Who will prevail and reach the round of 16?

Taylor Fritz put in the hard yards on the doubles court at the Monte-Carlo Masters, winning his match alongside Holger Rune, beating the Italian pair of Lorenzo Musetti and Simone Bolelli. It was vital he at least shakes off the rust and acclimatizes to the conditions of the European clay having skipped the opening week of April. Fritz is 21-6 for the season, winning a title in Delray and reaching back-to-back quarterfinals at the Sunshine Swing. I don’t think he’ll be too down on himself despite dropping down five spots in the rankings. After a bye in the first round, he’ll play Stan Wawrinka in his first singles match on the clay.

Stan Wawrinka continues to stand the test of time after producing another gutsy win on Monday, beating Tallon Griekspoor 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to advance into the second round of the Monte-Carlo Masters for the first time since 2019. The former champion fired nine aces and converted all three of his break points. Wawrinka served brilliantly throughout the match, saving nine of 11 break points against the Dutchman. He’ll seek his third win in the series against Taylor Fritz.

Fritz vs Wawrinka Prediction and Pick

Stan Wawrinka leads Taylor Fritz 2-0 in their head-to-head, having last played each other in 2018. Despite undergoing multiple knee surgeries, Wawrinka continues to stand the test of time after picking up his 10th win in 2023. Wawrinka’s ground strokes marinade so well with the clay. Even at the behest of some of the ATP’s biggest stars, the Swiss one-hander has squeezed the life out of his 38-year-old knees, with his win over Holger Rune in Indian Wells coming into mind. With that said, Fritz is playing his first singles match on the clay, and like most big hitters he’s not a fan of the clay. The American has been prone to throw in a stinker or two on this surface and starting at -250 in the ML is enough reason to stay clear from taking the eighth seed here.