Adrian Mannarino's started his week by saving four match points in the first round of the Winston-Salem Open. After surviving three tie-breaks in his opening match, the Frenchman did not drop another set on his way to the ATP 250 title.
With a 7-6(1), 6-4 victory against Laslo Djere in Saturday's final, the 34-year-old became the oldest champion in the tournament's history, as well as its first French champion.
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Mannarino saved two break points to avoid going down a double break in the opening set before converting on his first break chance to level at 4-4. He then sprinted into the lead by winning the final six points of the tie-break.
Set two opened with four love holds before the Frenchman made the crucial breakthrough in the set's seventh game. After missing out on a match point on return at 5-3, he clinched victory with his fourth love hold of the one-hour, 44-minute match.
Finishing with 20 winners, Mannarino was dominant behind first serve, winning 83 per cent (30/36) of points on his first delivery. After a slow start, he grew into the match and commanded the late stages against Djere, who played three sets in each of his first four matches before a grueling two-set semi-final victory against Swiss qualifier Marc-Andrea Huesler.
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For some added history, Mannarino is also the second left-hander to win the Winston Salem title after Jurgen Melzer in 2013. Melzer was the event's oldest champion at 32 until Mannarino's victory.
The Frenchman is the fourth lefty to win a tour-level title this season (Rafael Nadal, 4; Cameron Norrie, 2; Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 1). With his title run, he has moved up 20 places this week to No. 45 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.
More to follow...
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