Adrian Mannarino's winning serve sets off a deafening uproar under the closed roof of Rod Laver Arena.
And for good reason.
The third set between the French No. 1 and the world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has just started… and Mannarino has scored his first game of the match!
Enough to deserve a standing ovation after having taken two nice bubbles and triggering the hilarity of the Habs, resigned and powerless for a long time... and the first Top 20 in history to score zero in the two initial sets of a match in Grand Slam.
After 1h20 against Novak Djokovic, ADRIAN MANNARINO WINS A GAME#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/SeqkL8zCEQ
— Univers Tennis 🎾 (@UniversTennis) January 21, 2024
“Frankly, if I had taken three bubbles, it wouldn’t have affected me that much,” says the victim of the day with his usual detachment.
It would just have gotten people talking a lot.
When I scored my first game, with the whole crowd screaming like that, I couldn't remain unmoved.
In these cases, you free yourself.
You tell yourself that it can't be worse.
»
In any case, the damage was already largely done… “I had the impression of not having a solution,” explains the Serb’s unfortunate stooge.
I had to get used to the conditions which are really very different from those on the other courts.
It took me a little time to adapt, and against these players, I can't afford it.
He had a very good level of play and I couldn't overtake him.
And then physically, I had the impression of being a little worse than usual…”
At 35 years old, the weight of three rounds in five sets (against Wawrinka, Munar, and after a huge match against Shelton on Friday) was felt.
To the point of seeing for a long time the specter of the unforgettable drop of the pants of the former player Thierry Champion at Roland-Garros against Bruguera in 1993 and his three bicycle wheels to ride faster towards the locker rooms in less than an hour flat.
📊 Novak Djokovic's dryest victories in the second week of a Grand Slam (excluding retirement):
▪️ 6/3 6/0 6/0 vs Granollers (US 2013, 1/8)
▪️ 6/0 6/1 6/2 vs Cilic (US 2015, 1/2)
🆕 6/0 6/0 6/3 vs Mannarino (OA 2024, 1/8)
▪️ 6/0 6/2 6/2 vs Pouille (OA 2019, 1/2) pic.twitter.com/dsBEwPo45N
— Game, Set and Maths (@JeuSetMaths) January 21, 2024
“Today, there was a lot of tension in the third set,” says Djokovic.
The public wanted to participate in the match and for Adrian to win a game. I almost had the feeling that it was a good thing to let go of a game, in order to refocus.
It was of course difficult for him, but also for me, not to think about the triple bagel.
»
Finally, the ten-time winner and defending champion in Melbourne took 1h44 and left three games en route to heading to the quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz, who defeated Tsitsipas.
“Adrian is a player like no other,” explains the man to the 24 Majors.
With him, it's a bit of a game of cat and mouse.
He has talent, a very good touch, he makes you work on the court.
But I had prepared very well for this and I executed my plan to perfection.
" Indeed…