The title is subjective I guess cause if you asked me if Mannarino can be relevant in 2023 a year or two ago I would’ve said no.
He finished 2021 as 71st on the ATP list and it seemed that heading into his 30s, he’s past his prime, he had some injury problems and it looked like his way of tennis couldn’t handle an uphill battle. For any tennis player of his rang (meaning not one of the “top/elite” players) entering your 30s means you’d probably be looking at a career filled with Challenger tournaments, qualifiers for ATP tournaments and early exists.
He was 33 years old in 2021, for reference, and his career high was 25th (or maybe 24 or 23, sorry , can’t remember right now).
So, he was entering the later stage of his career, rank 71 on the ATP list and he only won 1 ATP tour title in his career at that point (2019 Hertogenbosch)
Any person would’ve said that he’s entering his twilight years and by the age of 36/37 he’d be retired or so.
Well…
2022, he finished the year with an overall score of 31 wins and 32 losses, but he managed to win the ATP title in Winston Salem.
He finished 2022 as 46th on the ATP tour, 34 years old, entering his 35th year on this planet.
Just for reference, Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most elite athletes on this planet started his last season for Juventus when he was 35, and this was the time people started writing him off as “oh he’s way past his prime”, so you can not blame me for not expecting a 35 year old Mannarino to slowly enter his twilight tennis years.
HOWEVER
The absolute madman that is Adrian Mannarino went ahead and did something he never did in his career.
He won not one, not two, but three ATP titles! He won Newport, Astana and Sofia to be 22nd on the ATP list, which is his best ever ATP result!!!
He only won 2 overall ATP trophies before this year, and in one year he won more than he ever did before!
I’ve been low-key following him this year and I kept thinking “oh, i should make a Mannarino appreciation thread” but eventually decided “Nah, it’s ok, people won’t care that he’s playing above expectations” but he just won Sofia so I had to make this thread.
It is very very very rare to see any athlete having his best ever career year at the age of 35, but Adrian went ahead and just did that. (this reminds me of Gilles Muller who won his first ever ATP title at the age of 34, and soon after his 2nd one), so Mannarino definitely deserves his praise.
I am so happy for him, he played very well all season and this success is well deserved!
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Mannarino was one of the guys who was top 40 or so when I first started following the ATP Tour. I have a soft spot for the guys still in the top 40 from 2017. Mannarino, Zverev, Dimitrov etc
The guy is hitting career highs at 35 lmao. WTF!!!
While I agree that what Adrian did this year is mighty impressive, I don’t think 35 is that old anymore. There’s a clear trend across a lot of sports that, thanks to sport science and recovery methods, players can keep their bodies in very good shape into their 30s. So now they have all that experience and can delay the physical decline.
I think we will see more and more athletes peaking in their 30s in tennis as they become smarter players and better mentally with experience. My hunch is also that a certain play style—one predicated on timing and stamina with efficient strokes rather than explosive firepower—can age more gracefully. Like mannarino, like djokovic, like lopez etc.
Recent examples: Federer - wimby final at nearly 38
Lopez (career high rank at 34). Guy never hit a topspin backhand, just chipped that oney. Saved energy and wear-and-tear big time I think. But yeah he’s also just a specimen.
Struff - 33 and played his best stuff this year
RBA - career high at 31
Stanimal’s prime was 28-32
35 today is like 29-30 from 15 years ago