Manna, Manna, are you there?

Tough start to the season for Adrian, but a much more favorable profile awaits him here

He will approach this match with his experience and his perfect knowledge of Grand Slams. The Frenchman remains a unique player, whose game relies more on variation, reading the game, and the ability to break the rhythm than on sheer power. In his recent tournaments, he has shown average performances, facing aggressive and powerful opponents with a style he doesn’t particularly enjoy.

When Adrian manages to impose his low trajectories and extend the rallies, he becomes particularly unpleasant to play against. His left-handed game, very flat, disrupts opponents who are looking for rhythm and can cause a lot of unforced errors.

Hijikata doesn’t have the necessary power to constantly put Mannarino under pressure the way Spizzirri or Cilic were able to, and he will have to find other solutions.

The Australian has been fairly competitive in his previous tournaments, with a clear intention to move forward and take measured risks. He was completely outplayed by Davidovich Fokina in Brisbane in a match-up that was uncomfortable for him, but there’s nothing particularly alarming on his side.

Against such an atypical profile as Mannarino’s, he will need to show patience and find the right level of aggression. If he rushes or gets frustrated, the Frenchman will know how to take advantage and impose his game.

I’m inclined to trust Adrian more in a match-up like this. I think the best-of-five format is a fairly big advantage for him against an opponent with very few wins in Grand Slams. The market seems to be moving strongly toward the Australian, and I feel that his odds are starting to get high.