- French star beat US young gun Ben Shelton in five sets
- Revealed post game he drinks tequila to unwind
- Adrian Mannarino next faces top seed Novak Djokovic
French tennis star Adrian Mannarino has revealed the left-field secret to his on-court success – tequila.
The 35-year-old beat American rising star Ben Shelton, 21, in a five-set epic on Friday night which lasted four hours and 46 minutes.
When quizzed by Channel Nine commentator Adam Peacock as to how he is in career best form – and mocking Father Time – Mannarino’s answer was brilliant.
‘I started [drinking] tequila,’ he said, much to the amusement of fans courtside.
‘That helps to not think too much and you know, you just keep going.
French tennis star Adrian Mannarino has revealed the secret to his on-court success – tequila
At 35, the 20th seed is in career best form at the Australian Open, reaching the fourth round
Mannarino next faces defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic in the fourth round on Sunday
‘Sometimes you need to clear your brain and stop thinking about the past and you just keep going.
‘Don’t look back and just go.’
Mannarino, the 20th seed, will next face defending champion and world number one Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.
He also became an instant cult hero after telling tennis fans he just wants to ‘enjoy the moment’ and along with his team ‘doesn’t really care about what’s next.’
The Frenchman’s gripping triumph did deny fans a spicy re-match of Djokovic and Shelton, who have engaged in a war of words since the US Open last year, where the Serbian ended the run of the brash American in the semi-finals.
And while Djokovic is likely to be conserving his energy on Saturday, Mannarino will be back on court.
He will partner countryman Quentin Halys in the second round of the men’s doubles against 12th seeds Jackson Withrow and Nathaniel Lammons.
At the United Cup earlier this month in Sydney, Mannarino attracted headlines after he was handed a controversial medical timeout mid-match.
It followed a self-induced injury, with Australian tennis great Wally Masur stunned at the decision from the chair umpire.