Adrian Mannarino’s Unconventional Approach to Facing Top Players

French tennis player Adrian Mannarino is set to face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open on Sunday. However, the 35-year-old has a unique approach to not wanting to know his opponents until the last minute. Mannarino, currently ranked No. 17 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, prefers to focus on his game without identifying his fourth-round opponent earlier than necessary.

Mannarino, known for playing with one of the loosest string tensions on tour, has asked the on-court interviewer not to reveal his next opponent after defeating Ben Shelton in a thrilling five-set match. He also requested the media to respect his wishes and not ask about his upcoming opponent during the post-match press conference.

This is not the first time Mannarino has taken this approach. In a previous tournament, he faced tennis legend Roger Federer in the fourth round and insisted on not knowing his opponent until the last hour. Mannarino’s unconventional strategy of waiting until the last minute to learn his next opponent is believed to be the most extreme in the game.

When asked if his approach puts him at a disadvantage, especially when facing players with different playing styles such as left-handers or serve-and-volleyers, Mannarino expressed confidence in his abilities. He believes that practicing against players with similar styles before facing them is unnecessary and considers it irrelevant.

Mannarino’s lack of interest in knowing his next opponent until the last minute has also created challenges in avoiding unintentional revelations. He strives to keep his focus and avoid overthinking by delaying the process as much as possible. However, sometimes even small incidents, like checking match schedules on screens or casual comments from others, can inadvertently reveal his next match-up.

Despite Djokovic’s dominant record against Mannarino in their previous meetings, with the Serbian winning all four encounters, the Frenchman remains unfazed. If Mannarino extends the match to five sets, he could pose a threat to Djokovic, as he has won his last 11 consecutive five-set matches.