The American, currently No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings, defeated Mannarino 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 6-3 in a dramatic encounter marked by high-quality shotmaking and multiple momentum swings, News.Az reports, citing ATP.
Mannarino, who reached the final in Montpellier last week, neutralized much of Shelton’s power and showcased his defensive skills throughout the contest.
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One of the highlights came on the opening point of the first-set tie-break, when the pair engaged in a 29-shot rally. Although Mannarino consistently absorbed Shelton’s aggressive baseline play, the second seed elevated his performance in key moments, sealing victory after two hours and 40 minutes.
“Ridiculous tennis,” Shelton said in his on-court interview. “I thought [Adrian] played at an extremely high level. I think he always does against me. We've had some crazy matches. Last match I got injured against him at the US Open. A big battle for sure. He does a lot of things that make it very, very difficult, especially playing him on a low-bouncing indoor court.”
The match featured repeated momentum shifts. Mannarino forced a deciding set after converting his sixth set point in the second-set tie-break. Earlier, the 37-year-old had squandered four set points on return at 6-5, with Shelton saving two of them with powerful aces.
Mannarino also produced one of the standout shots of the tournament, striking a no-look, between-the-legs winner during that tense second set, adding further drama to an already gripping contest.
