Madrid Masters 2023: Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick

Match Details

Fixture: Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy

Tournament: Madrid Masters 2023

Round: First Round (Round of 128)

Venue: Caja Magica, Madrid, Spain

Category: Masters 1000

Surface: Outdoor clay

Prize money: €7,705,780

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy preview

Wawrinka takes on Cressy in the first round.

Stan Wawrinka takes on American Maxime Cressy in the opening round of the Madrid Masters.

World No. 84 Wawrinka is coming off an opening-round loss to Luca Van Assche at the inaugural Srpska Open in Banja Luka last week, falling to 10-8 on the season. The three-time Grand Slam winner is 1-2 on clay in 2023, with that win coming against Tallon Griekspoor in the Monte-Carlo first round two weeks ago.

The 38-year-old had an underwhelming start to the season, going 1-3 in his first four matches, including a first-round loss at the Australian Open. Wawrinka reached his first quarterfinal of the season at Rotterdam before repeating the trick in Marseille.

The Swiss has a 16-12 record in Madrid, reaching the final in 2013 and making the last eight in his last appearance four years ago, losing both times to five-time winner Rafael Nadal.

Meanwhile, the 39th-ranked Cressy is 7-10 in 2023 and 0-2 on clay following first-round defeats in Monte-Carlo and Marrakech. In fact, the 25-year-old is on a six-match losing streak since Rotterdam.

Since making his first final of the year in Montpellier (lost to Jannik Sinner), the American has won only two of his next nine matches. Cressy lost in the opening round on his Madrid debut last year.

Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy head-to-head

This is the pair's first meeting, so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.

Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (over/under)
Stan Wawrinka
Maxime Cressy

(The odds will be updated when they release)

Stan Wawrinka vs Maxime Cressy prediction

Both Wawrinka and Cressy look to dominate opponents from the baseline, but the similarities in their game styles end there.

Wawrinka has a big serve, hits powerful groundstrokes and moves well. Cressy has similar attributes, but inconsistency is his bane. Moreover, there's a wide difference in claycourt pedigree between the two.

While the Swiss has a 187-98 record on red dirt, winning seven titles - including one at Roland Garros - Cressy has won only one of his eight matches on the surface. Considering the same and the American's wretched recent form, Wawrinka should take this first-time matchup.

Pick: Wawrinka in straight sets

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

Know More

Edited by Nihal