Adrian Mannarino, the 20th seed from France, pulled off a remarkable comeback to defeat Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, in a thrilling five-set match in the first round on Monday. Mannarino prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 in three hours and 40 minutes, saving two break points in the fourth set and dominating the fifth set with flawless tennis.
Mannarino, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 19 on Monday, improved his impressive record in five-set matches to 12-4, with seven of his wins coming in the first round of Grand Slams. He also avenged his loss to Wawrinka in the second round of the 2020 Australian Open, when he squandered a two-set lead and lost in a fifth-set tiebreak.
Mannarino, who is known for his crafty and consistent game, used his variety and angles to disrupt Wawrinka’s rhythm and power. He hit 36 winners and 34 unforced errors, compared to Wawrinka’s 50 winners and 64 unforced errors. He also won 16 of 20 net points and converted seven of 14 break points.
Mannarino will face Jaume Munar of Spain in the second round, who defeated Lorenzo Musetti of Italy in four sets. Mannarino has a 1-0 head-to-head record against Munar, having beaten him in straight sets at the 2021 US Open.
Wawrinka’s Australian Open woes continue as he exits in the first round
Wawrinka, the 38-year-old Swiss star, suffered his second consecutive first-round exit at the Australian Open, after losing to Marton Fucsovics of Hungary in five sets last year. Wawrinka, who won his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne in 2014, has not reached the quarterfinals of the tournament since 2018 when he lost to Tennys Sandgren of the United States.
Wawrinka, who is currently ranked No. 37 in the world, has been struggling with injuries and form in recent years. He underwent two knee surgeries in 2017, which sidelined him for six months and caused him to drop out of the top 250 in the rankings. He has since made a gradual comeback, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2019 and 2020 French Open and the semifinals of the 2020 Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic.
However, Wawrinka has not won a title since 2017, when he triumphed at the Geneva Open. He has also not beaten a top-10 player since 2019 when he defeated Daniil Medvedev at the US Open. He has also been hampered by a foot injury, which forced him to withdraw from several tournaments in 2021, including Wimbledon and the US Open.
Wawrinka, who has won three Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in his illustrious career, has not announced any plans to retire but has hinted that he is nearing the end of his journey. He has said that he still enjoys playing tennis, but that he is also realistic about his chances and expectations.
