Frenchman Adrian Mannarino defeated Argentine Juan Monaco 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1 in the opening round at the BNP Paribas Open to progress to the second round. He will play Roberto Bautista Agut.
Mannarino grabs the lone break, goes up a set
The match started out with three holds of serve. With the Frenchman 2-1 up, he ran away to a love-40 lead forcing Monaco to hit an unforced error from his backhand side. He then attacked Monaco's serve causing him to hit a forehand return into the net as Mannarino broke. He went on in the next game to consolidate the break to go up 4-1. The next three games went on serve before the 28-year-old applied pressure at 5-2 to the Argentinian playing his first match of the season.
Down love-30, the Frenchman went on a roll and won four straight points to bring up a break/set point by forcing Monaco to play an unforced error. The 32-year-old then played an absorbing rally, carving out an opportunity before unleashing his forehand to deny Mannarino and send the game to deuce. Monaco then eventually won the game and asked the serve it out question from his opponent. But Mannarino replied by closing out the game and taking a one set lead, 6-3.
Monaco fights back to send the match into a decider
With momentum on the Frenchman's side, he couldn't take advantage. The Argentine held serve comfortably to begin the second set. He then brought up a break point at love-40 following an unforced error. Mannarino the sent a forehand long and the tide was slowly beginning to turn as Monaco took a 0-2 lead. However, Mannarino came straight back at Monaco and broke in the very next game on his second break point chance when a forehand went sailing beyond the baseline. Back to back aces and the set went level at 2-2. The world number 72 stayed the break ahead and with the score now at 4-3, he applied pressure.
Having taken the Frenchman to 30-all, Monaco smashed a backhand winner before and unforced error came from Mannarino's racket as the Argentine went 5-3 up. In frustration at losing the game, the world number 61 slammed his racket on the floor. This seemed to have worked as he bounced back and broke immediately back on his third break point after initially saving a set point earlier. He held serve and drew level at 5-5. Just a game later, he broke the Argentine to lead 6-5, however, was broken back and the set needed a tiebreaker, which was won by Monaco who sent the match into a decider, 6-7(5)
Mannarino sweeps aside a jaded Monaco to book spot in the second round
Mannarino began the set by holding serve to love. In the very next game, he began applying pressure to the Argentinian by bringing up three break points. Which was taken at the first chance before he consolidated the break and took a healthy 3-0 lead. Following his efforts in the second set, Monaco looked spent and it was showing in his game as he misjudged an overhead which landed 3 metres inside the baseline to bring up three break points for the Frenchman.
The world number 61 broke for 4-0 after chasing down a dropshot and landing the return into the court. He then went on to hold serve to love to go 5-0 up. The Argentine then stopped the rot and avoided the bagel by holding serve to love for the first time in the set. Now serving for the match at 5-1, Mannarino wasted no time in bringing up a match point after Monaco's shot hit the net and bounced wide of the line. The Argentine then gifted the point and the match with a dropshot hitting the net.