The Australian No.1 defeated the veteran Swiss 6-3 6-0 to chalk up his 20th win of 2024 and move into the last 32 in Monaco.
"My attitude (was important)," said de Minaur. "(I didn't play) my best tennis to come out with on the first match on the clay. So I stayed tough, stayed solid, I played tough when I needed to and I found my way into the match and started playing better and better."
Worth the wait 💪— ATP Tour (@atptour) @alexdeminaur wins over Wawrinka in just over one hour 6-3 6-0 to reach round 2 in Monte-Carlo!@ROLEXMCMASTERS | #RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/RC2eAKzjGeApril 9, 2024
De Minaur now meets Tallon Griekspoor hoping to reach the last 16 for the first time in the Principality. If he does gain his first win over the Dutchman in three meetings he will next face either defending champion Andrey Rublev or compatriot Alexei Popyrin.Â
"I think with every year of experience I look forward to the clay season even more," said de Minaur.Â
"In the past, maybe mentally I wasn't really ready to tell myself I was going to be good on the clay. That, plus I put on a little bit of weight, put on a bit of muscle.
"Clay-court tennis is always so physical and there is a lot of strength involved, so I've put on a couple of kilos and hopefully it helps me this clay season."
While de Minaur progressed Carlos Alcaraz was packing his bags having withdrawn from the event with a right forearm injury.
The Wimbledon champion had been doing low-key training with strapping on his arm and announced on Tuesday that he was unable to fulfil his planned match with Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Alcaraz wrote on social media: "I have been working in Monte Carlo and trying to recover until the last minute from an injured pronator teres in my right arm, but it was not possible and I cannot play! I was really looking forward to playing... See you next year!"
Alcaraz is due to defend titles in Barcelona and Madrid over the next month as he builds towards the French Open, which begins on May 20. He was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego.
Elsewhere there were victories for Miomir Kecmanovic, Sebastian Korda, who now meets Jannik Sinner, and Zhizhen Zhang.
Off-court Spanish player Aaron Cortes has been given a 15-year ban for match-fixing and other offences.
The 29-year-old, who reached a singles highest ranking of No. 995 in 2017, was fined $US75,000 ($A113,000) — of which $US56,250 ($A85,000) is suspended, and banned from playing, coaching and even attending official tennis events until March 27, 2039.