US Open 2021 – Despite a good Mannarino, Stefanos Tsitsipas qualified without (too much) concern for the 3rd round

After his marathon victory and “controversy” in the first round against Andy Murray, Stefanos Tsitsipas went a little shorter to beat Adrian Mannarino (6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-0), this Wednesday, in night-session, on the stadium Arthur-Ashe. But the Greek, excellent for two sets, had to work again and have recourse to a long “Toilet break” to start again after the loss of the third set, thus sealing his qualification for the third round, where he will find Carlos Alcaraz.

Beating the world No.3, under normal circumstances, would have been a difficult task for “Manna”, who has never taken out a top 10 player in Grand Slams. But there, it would have been a feat for the Frenchman who had not played any tournament before this US Open since his knee injury against Roger Federer in the first round of Wimbledon.

And yet, the southpaw Val d’Oisien, already happy to be there after an unexpected victory against his compatriot Pierre-Hugues Herbert (who had led two sets to nothing), showed some beautiful facets of his talent. At the price in particular of some firecrackers in reverse which caused murmurs of admiration in the spans of the stadium Arthur-Ashe, whose roof had been left closed due to a storm which began to fall on New York, he managed to snatch the third set in the decisive game, 7 points to 4.

27 aces, personal best for Tsitsipas

But to tell the truth, it was almost a hold-up for him who had to wait for the second game of this third set to get (in vain) his one and only break point of the match, facing an impressive Tsitsipas in the service. (27 aces, personal best!).

A hold-up which was not enough to shake the serenity of the latter, overall very solid throughout the match. But Roland’s finalist, who had not yet left the field, in indoor conditions less conducive to sweating than the furnace of the other day, nevertheless did not resist the call for a “Toilet break “at the end of this third set. A break that once again dragged on for nearly eight minutes, and during which we saw Mannarino trying to stay warm by serving in a short vacuum.

Except that this time, Tsitsipas returned to the race on the ground, under the boos of part of the public. And that he also finished the match at a run, flying over the 4th set 6-0 against a Mannarino visibly affected physically.

A small “rab” of work without great consequence, therefore. Overall, Stefanos Tsitsipas has been true to the job and his status as tournament challenger. It will have to be shown again in the third round against an uninhibited Carlos Alcaraz, in a duel that could be explosive.