Rafael Nadal (6) of Spain will play Adrian Mannarino of France in the Round of 16 of the Australian Open. The match is scheduled to be played on Sunday January 23rd, 2022.
Former world number one and Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal will come up against Adrian Mannarino as he attempts to win his 21st and record Grand Slam title. The Spanish star has looked fantastic so far here in Melbourne and seems to be on a mission to win the title, with his path made easier with Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal. Adrian Mannarino is a solid player, but it is a surprise to see him at this stage of the competition, and it would be an even bigger surprise if he was to cause the upset here.
Rafael Nadal is a legend of the game and has won an astonishing 20 Grand Slam titles, which is tied for the record with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Nadal has started well so far, going largely untested through the first three rounds here at the Australian Open, only dropping one set to Karen Khachanov in the Third Round. With Djokovic pulling out he is among the main contenders for the title here at Melbourne, and his experience and Grand Slam pedigree set him apart from the rest of the field.
Adrian Mannarino is ranked 69th in the world and has long been a very solid but unspectacular player. The Frenchman is capable of causing upsets from time to time, such as his win over Hubert Hurkacz here at the Australian Open, but has largely been inconsistent throughout his career. Mannarino played one of the matches of his career to defeat Hurkacz in straight sets, proving that he is not someone to underestimate. However, his next opponent is one of the greatest players of all time, and it would take a miracle for him to get a result here.
This is very straightforward to predict, and Rafael Nadal will be moving on to the Quarter-Finals here at the Australian Open. He is simply the much better player, and there is no area in which Adrian Mannarino is better. Nadal will dominate this match from start to finish, moving one step closer to breaking the all-time Grand Slam record.