The long road from wildcard losses to ATP titles

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Adrian Mannarino’s rise in professional tennis is a masterclass in persistence. From losing in the first round of his 2007 Grand Slam debut to eventually securing five ATP titles, his career highlights the grueling transition from a wildcard underdog to a top-20 mainstay.

Mannarino's early career was defined by the struggle to break into the elite ranks. Competing as a wildcard, he first entered a Grand Slam singles tournament during the 2007 French Open, losing his opening qualifying match against Marin Čilić. He returned to his home tournament in 2008, again receiving a wildcard for the singles main draw, but lost to Diego Junqueira in straight sets. These early years were marked by a series of first-round exits at major events, including the 2009 Australian Open and the 2008 Paris Masters.

The turning point toward consistent competitiveness arrived between 2013 and 2016. During this period, Mannarino began reaching deeper rounds of major tournaments and establishing a presence in doubles. In 2013, he reached his first Grand Slam third round at Wimbledon, notably pushing Łukasz Kubot to five sets in the fourth round. By 2016, his doubles prowess peaked when he and Lucas Pouille reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, defeating three seeded pairs along the way, including the top-seeded duo of Horia Tecău and Jean-Julien Rojer.

His singles breakthrough continued with a series of high-profile upsets and final appearances. In 2017, he secured his first ATP World Tour 500 Series final by defeating top-seeded Marin Čilić in the semifinals of the Japan Open—his first win over a top-five player. He also reached a Masters 1000 quarterfinal at the Rogers Cup that same year. It wasn't until 2019 that he secured his first ATP Tour singles title at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, overcoming several seeded opponents to finally break his streak of six consecutive final losses.

Mannarino reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 17 on January 29, 2024. His journey reflects the volatility of the tour, characterized by narrow margins and dramatic shifts in fortune. For instance, at the 2018 Barcelona Open, he held three match points in a final-set tie-break against Pablo Carreño Busta before losing. Today, as the No. 5 singles player from France, his career serves as a testament to the endurance required to navigate the professional circuit.

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