"I told him well done and good luck": Adrian Mannarino rejects ‘cold handshake’ claims after Tommy Paul defeat in Miami Open

Saturday, 21 March 2026 at 23:30

Adrian Mannarino has rejected suggestions of tension following his defeat to Tommy Paul at the Miami Open, dismissing claims of a “cold handshake” after their second-round encounter. The French veteran addressed the narrative directly after it circulated on social media, offering a different account of the post-match exchange.

Paul secured a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory, recovering from a break deficit in the deciding set to advance to the third round. The American trailed 1-3 in the third before regaining control, closing out the match with a sequence of consistent baseline play and improved serving under pressure.

Attention during the match centred on a medical timeout taken by Paul at 1-2 in the final set after appearing to roll his ankle. The interruption prompted discussion among observers, with some questioning its timing in the context of the match’s momentum.

In the immediate aftermath, the focus shifted to the handshake at the net, where initial interpretations suggested a lack of warmth from Mannarino following the defeat.

Morgado post and Mannarino response

Paul controlled the opening set 6-2, but Mannarino responded with a 6-2 second set of his own, levelling the match and shifting pressure onto the deciding set.

Mannarino initially took control in the third set, moving ahead 3-1 before Paul responded after taking a medical timeout at 1-2 following an apparent ankle issue. The American’s ability to reset physically and tactically proved decisive, as he won five of the final six games to complete the comeback. The interruption drew attention after the match due to its timing within the set.

That attention increased following a post by journalist José Morgado, who described the moment as a “cold handshake” and linked it to Mannarino’s reaction to the medical timeout during the deciding set.

“Tommy Paul comes back from 1-3 down in the 3rd set to beat Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 and reach the 3rd round in Miami. Cold handshake as Mannarino didn’t buy Paul’s MTO at 1-2 in the 3rd. But Paul in fact rolled his ankle badly.”

Tommy Paul comes back from 1-3 down in the 3rd set to beat Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 and reach the 3rd round in Miami.

Cold handshake as Mannarino didn't buy Paul's MTO at 1-2 in the 3rd. But Paul *in fact* rolled his ankle badly. pic.twitter.com/PAatmRJKR3
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) March 20, 2026

Mannarino, however, offered a contrasting account, rejecting that interpretation and describing the exchange as routine.

“I didn’t see any cold handshake. I told him ‘well done and good luck’ and he replied ‘thanks man’.”

I didn’t see any cold handshake , I told him « well done and good luck » and he replied « thanks man »
— Adrian Mannarino (@AdrianMannarino) March 20, 2026

The clarification suggests that the post-match interaction followed standard etiquette, despite the circumstances of the match and the mid-set interruption that had drawn attention.

Next steps for both players

Mannarino’s Miami campaign ends after a solid opening-round performance against Zhang Zhizhen, where he advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win before falling to a seeded opponent in the second round. He is expected to return to action at the ATP 250 event in Bucharest, beginning March 30, as part of his transition into the clay-court season.

Paul, meanwhile, advanced to the third round, where he will face Belgium’s Raphael Collignon. The Belgian reached this stage of a Masters 1000 event for the first time after eliminating Grigor Dimitrov, adding further unpredictability to this section of the draw.

Tommy Paul vs Adrian Mannarino — Head-to-head results

Year	Winner	Tournament	Round	Surface	Score
2026	Tommy Paul	Miami Open	R64	Hard	6-2, 2-6, 6-4
2025	Adrian Mannarino	Cincinnati	R32	Hard	5-7, 6-3, 6-4
2024	Adrian Mannarino	Paris Masters	R64	Indoor Hard	6-3, 7-5
2022	Tommy Paul	Wimbledon	R64	Grass	6-2, 6-4, 6-1