New thriller for Adrian Mannarino: the French No.1, newcomer in the top 20 (19th) at 35, overthrew the young American Ben Shelton (16th) in five sets 7-6 (7/4), 1-6 , 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-4 in 4h46min in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. Adrian Mannarino will now challenge world No.1 Novak Djokovic for a place in the quarter-finals.
Fight between lefties
The French left-hander emerged victorious from his first three matches of the Australian fortnight in five sets. In the first round against the Swiss Stan Wawrinka (6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0), in the second round against the Spaniard Jaume Munar (82nd) 6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-3, and Friday evening, in an electric atmosphere, after being led two sets to one by Shelton. This will be the fifth round of 16 of his twenty-year career for Mannarino, and the second at the Australian Open after that of 2022.
In a rare duel between left-handers, Adrian Mannarino scored a double break lead in the decisive set when he led 5 games to 2, service to follow. Shelton reduced the gap to 5 games to 4, encouraged by deafening “USA, USA, USA” tumbling from the stands. A second time serving to win the match, the thirty-year-old Frenchman this time managed to conclude, on his second occasion after committing a double fault on his first match point. Before challenging Djokovic on Sunday, Adrian Mannarino spent nearly twelve hours on the courts at Melbourne Park.
Two other French people will try to reach the round of 16 on Saturday: Ugo Humbert, against the Pole Hubert Hurkacz, and Arthur Cazaux, who will face the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, two days after having achieved the feat of eliminating the world No.8 Holger Rune.