While he has always styled his game on economy of movement, Adrian Mannarino might wish he had a bit more in the legs while playing top players in 2026. No longer a top-level threat, Mannarino is still within the Top 100 in the rankings at 38. The Frenchman did not need to qualify to get direct entry at any of the Grand Slams or Masters 1000 events this year. Despite that, the Tour veteran was realistic about his tennis abilities at this age after he was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters.

“I’m aware that, physically, I’m a bit past my prime,” admitted Mannarino in a Lequipe interview after his loss to Karen Khachanov at the Shanghai Masters. “It’s hard to admit it and accept that I’ll never be as fast and as enduring as I used to be. That’s already a kind of death in itself as a tennis player. I’ll never be as competitive as I once was, but I try to make the best of what I have. “

Playing with an unorthodox string setup, Mannarino’s career has embodied the “making the best of what I have” sentiment. Unlike his peers, the Frenchman has used lighter strings and had to exert more control on his shots, which would bounce more off his strings and not impart as much topspin as some of his opponents. His light strings also meant a shorter racket swing, something which contrasts with the established practice of shot-making in the modern era.

Having said that, Mannarino’s court coverage and his skill to thrive in long matches served the Frenchman well in his career. The former World No. 17 has a 15-4 win-loss record in five-set matches, which shows his durability in long-drawn-out battles. His best run came at the 2024 Australian Open, where he won three consecutive five-set matches against the likes of Stan Wawrinka, Jaume Munar, and Ben Shelton before losing to Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.

Mannarino is not the only one who has been successful at pushing their tennis careers past 35 in recent times. The likes of Wawrinka and Gael Monfils are calling it a day after the 2026 season, but both of them have played tennis into their 40s. Not to forget, Djokovic remains at the top of the sport at 39, having reached a Grand Slam final this year and beaten World No. 1, Jannik Sinner.

While Mannarino’s season record does not make for good reading, the Frenchman still had some decent runs at ATP 250 and 500 events. For someone like Mannarino, age has never been a barrier but has often served as a motivator, leading to the best period of his tennis career at 35.

Adrian Mannarino Had His Best Outing at 35

2023 was the breakout year for Mannarino at the age of 35. The Frenchman reached four Tour-level finals that season, the most he had ever reached in a single year. He won three titles, one of which came on the grass at the Hall of Fame Open, while he had a runner-up finish in Mallorca. His other two titles came on the hard courts of Astana and Sofia, where he thrived on the faster indoor conditions.

These results were followed by a fourth-round run at the Australian Open next year, in which Mannarino reached a career-best ranking of 17. His style of tennis was always effective on grass and hard courts, while having a mere 20% success rate on clay courts.

Even at 38 this year, Mannarino has shown he can play at a high level from time to time. Just before he was beaten by Khachanov in straight sets in Shanghai, the Frenchman secured his 12th career win against a Top-10 opponent when he beat Flavio Cobolli in a three-set battle in the previous round. Recovering after a long match and getting ready for the next is something that Mannarino understandably struggles with at this age, which was apparent in his match against Khachanov.

Barring his win against Cobolli, Mannarino still showed his abilities on grass and indoor hard courts. The Frenchman reached the final in Montpellier this year, where he was beaten by Felix Auger-Aliassime, while also having a decent semifinal run at the Libema Open on the grass, where he lost to Alex de Minaur.