Adrian Mannarino has switched to Australian time! For his second match of the week with the French team in this 2023 Davis Cup, the left-hander won a new point for his country to allow the Blues to lead 1-0 against Australia, Thursday in Manchester, on behalf from Pool B. Faced with a very aggressive Max Purcell in the service, the defending champion in Newport won in two sets after a long battle of 1 hour 40 minutes (7-6, 6-4). However, Ugo Humbert then lost to Alex De Minaur, 7-6, 6-3. France and Australia tied after the two singles matches, the doubles will therefore be decisive.
It was a confrontation with the scent of revenge. Beaten by the Aussies during the previous edition of the Davis Cup, France put itself in good conditions to achieve a second success this week in Great Britain. In the AO Arena, captain Lleyton Hewitt decided to cover his tracks to make people forget his team’s failure against the British hosts. For this first meeting against Mannarino, the former world number one chose Max Purcell instead of Thanasi Kokkinakis. Between Purcell and Mannarino, it was a match in good shape since the last two oppositions (on grass) had resulted in a success for each side.
Opportunistic Manna
More experienced than his opponent at the age of 35, Mannarino did not doubt for long in this meeting. At the end of a first set won in the decisive game 7-4, the 34th ATP player in the world had not conceded a single time (7-6). In the second set, Manna even got a break at the start of the second set, before being broken immediately. Less well physically, the Frenchman had to save a break point in the fourth game of the set to equalize at 2-2. More conquering and dynamic, Mannarino finally broke away to lead 5-2. In response, Purcell broke the first time but the Australian could do nothing when his opponent served a second time to win the match (6-4). As against Switzerland two days ago, France is in the lead thanks to Manna.
First defeat for Humbert
Alas, the long, quiet river taken by the Blues in Manchester did not last. During the second confrontation of the day, Alex De Minaur managed to equalize by winning against Ugo Humbert after two disputed sets (7-6, 6-3). Until then undefeated in the Davis Cup, the Mosellan experienced his first setback in the competition and may have some regrets. In the first set, Humbert led 6-5 and 0-30 on his opponent’s serve. With his back to the wall, De Minaur woke up to equalize at 6-6 and win the tie-break 7-2 with authority (7-6).
Alex de Minaur during France – Australia in the 2023 Davis Cup in Manchester
Credit: Getty Images
Logically disappointed with the turn of events, Humbert had to absorb the repercussions of the loss of the first round. It took time and De Minaur was quick to drive the point home. With a confirmed break obtained thanks to a low number of unforced errors, the recent eighth finalist at the US Open won the first three games of the second set. With this lead, the 13th ATP player in the world no longer gave up his service game and was imperial under the eyes of his captain Hewitt (6-3). From now on, the outcome of this confrontation between Australia and France rests on the shoulders of Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Nicolas Mahut. A qualification for the final draw of the Davis Cup in Malaga depends on it…