“Mental endurance and courage”: at the Australian Open, Adrian Mannarino likes to make things last

Three matches, fifteen sets and already 11h46 spent on the courts of Melbourne Park… Adrian Mannarino, 35 and a half years old, spared no effort and effort to make his way to the round of 16, where he will face this Sunday world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

In the first round, veteran Stan Wawrinka completely collapsed at the end (6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0). In the second, the Spaniard Jaume Munar had made too much effort to come back to two sets everywhere (6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-3). And in the third, the brand-new American Ben Shelton ended up burning out after 4h46 (7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4). Almost double the time taken by Djokovic to send the Argentinian Etcheverry back to the locker room.

A real slave labor for the one that fans have renamed the “divine bald”. “Besides, they helped me a lot against Shelton,” smiles the Val-d’Oisien. At the end I wasn’t even exhausted, I wasn’t even thinking about my legs, because they were behind me supporting me. » An always welcome addition of soul.

But this propensity of the Ile-de-France native to turn the match in his favor in the decisive round is not by chance. In his career, “Manna” has been pushed thirteen times to the limits of a decisive round. For eleven victories, one defeat (in the 2nd round of the 2015 US Open against Murray) and… a retirement during the first point of the 5th set against Federer at Wimbledon in 2021 after twisting his knee while slipping on the treacherous grass British.

Suffice it to say that the French No. 1 masters the exercise, where his flat play and his not always academic variations make the difference. And where it is often necessary to “unplug the brain” to forget the pain of a body for which it takes the greatest care.

“We sometimes underestimate our capacity for preparation”

Because the discreet native of Soisy-sous-Montmorency (Val-d’Oise) is the antithesis of the image of dilettante, even lazy, that we sometimes have of French players. For around ten years, he has scrupulously followed the sessions sent to him by his physical trainer, Erwann Tortuyaux. Even when he puts down his racket, the left-hander can’t help but play sports to feel good about himself.

“I would like to have a life that was a little more fun with a little more free time, but it’s true that I put myself through a lot, a lot of work,” he explained in L’Équipe at the start of the tournament. It’s my way of doing things, I believe in that a lot. There are a lot of players who tend to taunt me about this and say to me: Damn, you’re going back to training, but what’s the point? Sometimes it’s a bit to reassure myself, but it gives me a lot of confidence. I tell myself that whatever happens, I won’t give up. »

An opinion shared by Jean-Christophe Faurel, who coached him a few years ago. “As he lacks confidence, he builds it up by working a lot,” the technician explained to us. He’s a hard worker. He is talented but he is not very tall, not very powerful and has to hit more balls than the others to earn points. It requires mental stamina and courage. »

This is how you can beat in almost five hours a big American guy who still puts fourteen springs on your clock. “He is a very serious player, who trains very regularly and whose capacity for preparation is sometimes underestimated,” summarizes former Davis Cup captain Arnaud Clément.

Now the hardest part remains. Manage to push Djokovic to the 5th to optimize his chances of victory… Knowing that the Serb is not the most clumsy in the exercise. Since the start of the Open era, the boss of the circuit, who has already won the tournament ten times, is even the one who has had the most long-term success (35 out of 45 matches). SO…