'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former champions Stan Wawrinka and Fabio Fognini have been granted wildcards for the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters - the first claycourt Masters 1000 of the year.
The claycourt event - scheduled for April 9-16 - announced on Tuesday (March 28) their list of four wildcards for the 2023 edition. This includes 2014 champion Wawrinka - who beat Roger Federer in the final - and surprise 2019 winner Fognini - who beat 11-time winner Rafael Nadal en route to the title.
The two other wildcards in the 56-player draw at the Monte-Carlo Masters this year will be World No. 43 Jack Draper and World No. 332 Valentin Vacherot, 24, from Monaco. Both players will be making their main draw debuts at the Principality. Valcherot is the top-ranked Monagesque player in the ATP rankings.
Draper has had some promising results this year. The 21-year-old made the fourth round at Indian Wells, losing to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz, and the semifinals at Adelaide 2.
Meanwhile, Wawrinka has a 21-11 record at the Principality, having also made the semifinals in 2009. Fognini (21-12) has also won 21 matches at the Monte-Carlo Masters, having made the quarterfinals in 2021 and the Round of 32 last year.
Rafael Nadal set to return to action at Monte-Carlo Masters?
Rafael Nadal is the most successful player to have played in Monte Carlo, having won the tournament a record 11 times.
However, the Spaniard has had an injury-plagued season, winning only one of his four matches. The 22-time Major winner hasn't played since injuring his hip in a second-round loss at the Australian Open two months ago.
Nadal was scheduled to return to action in six to eight weeks, but his injury didn't heal enough, forcing the Spaniard to withdraw from Indian Wells and the ongoing Miami Masters.
Monte Carlo tournament director David Massey recently confirmed Nadal as the first player to be registered for the 2023 edition. However, the Spaniard was quick to refute those claims, saying that it was too early to confirm his return to action at one of his favorite hunting grounds:
"I don't know who gets this information, but obviously if it were true, I would confirm it, but, unfortunately, I cannot confirm it. Things are moving day by day, and I don't say things that I can't fulfil. I prefer to say things when I really know them, and at this moment, I don't know them."
However, the Spaniard later posted a picture of him training at his academy in Mallorca, captioning it:
"We continue with the preparation for the return to competition."
Nadal, who holds a 73-6 record there, won his last title at the Principality in 2018.
