Mannarino Fights Back to Clinch Victory Over Thiem at Indian Wells

Adrian Mannarino turned around a difficult match against Dominic Thiem and advanced to the second round of the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells.

Thiem arrived in California with a record of 1-5 in 2023. This was the Austrian's first match in Indian Wells since he wins the crown in 2019 by defeating Federer in three sets. Mannarino had competed in the Monterrey Challenger and the Acapulco Open, being eliminated in the first round both times, against Aleksander Kovacevic and Elias Ymer.

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Mannarino entered the match by achieving a break in the first game and confirmed it with his serve, taking a 2-0 lead. However, the Austrian quickly found his rhythm in the match, managing to take a 3-2 lead and maintaining the advantage to close the set 6-4 with a break in the tenth game of the set.

Everything seemed calm for the former world No. 3, who again achieved a break and took a 4-1 lead. But then came the reaction of the 34-year-old Frenchman, who won five games in a row and generated uncertainty in the match. Thiem had a considerable drop in his level and was a break down in the third set, but at 4-2 he connected with several winners that gave him three consecutive games and put pressure on Mannarino.

In a dramatic end of the match, everything was decided in the tie-break, where the Austrian had a 5-3 lead, but Mannarino made a comeback by winning four points in a row to claim the match 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). In the next round, he will play against the nineteenth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who will make his debut after receiving a bye in the first round.

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