Carlos Alcaraz is already a modern-day tennis great, but remains supremely respectful of what came before him.
After all, having arguably been the man to topple Novak Djokovic, before Jannik Sinner also joined the party, the 22-year-old could not be more respectful when discussing the 24-time Grand Slam champion and his peers.
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and more elevated men’s tennis to a level that had never been seen before, and now it’s Alcaraz’s job to maintain that interest and progression.
However, that has not stopped him from hoping to continue engaging with the earlier generation of superstars, with Stan Wawrinka the latest on his radar.
Carlos Alcaraz discusses potentially playing Stan Wawrinka at Monte Carlo
After all, when the Monte Carlo Masters draw was revealed, everybody looked to Carlos Alcaraz’s half first.
Receiving a bye through the first round, many earmarked his second-round clash, which will be against the winner of Wawrinka’s match against the Argentine Sebastian Baez.
What is your best memory of Stan Wawrinka?
Discussing the possibility of facing the 41-year-old legend in Monaco, Alcaraz was unsurprisingly enthused.
He admitted: “I would love to play Stan, to be honest, and it could happen here. It depends on him.
“I had the chance to practise with him yesterday, and it was incredible to share the court with him. It’s incredible to still have him around.
“Hopefully, I will get to play against him at least once to be able to say that I played a match against a legend like Stan.”
Wawrinka recently admitted it was his dream to play Alcaraz before he retires. He has now been gifted his chance, should he win his first-round match.
Carlos Alcaraz’s full draw at the Monte Carlo Masters
Wawrinka, were he to be Alcaraz’s second-round opponent, would be just the first in hopefully a long line of players the Spaniard would have to topple to reach the Monte Carlo Masters final he is dreaming of.
And, given that the world number one status is on the line, there is added incentive to go deep at this event.
How will Carlos Alcaraz fare after receiving this draw in Monte-Carlo?
It's far easier than Jannik Sinner's…
His draw begins with the winner of the Swiss legend’s match with Baez, with Frances Tiafoe expected to be waiting for him in the third round.
Alexander Bublik should be next up, before a rematch of last year’s final looms, this time in the semi-final, against Lorenzo Musetti.
If Alcaraz is to beat all of these players, the tennis world will hope to get its first Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner match of 2026 in the Monte Carlo Masters final.
