Being a professional tennis player is a grind, but nobody on the ATP or WTA Tours has been grinding more this year than 38-year-old Adrian Mannarino.
Mannarino has played 28 pro tournaments so far in 2026, more than any player in the men’s or women’s U.S. Open main draws. He was totally unaware that he was the holder of this superlative.
“I didn’t know. … I didn’t even feel that I’ve played much,” Mannarino said. “It is even possible? I don’t think I’m at 28.”
Mannarino started the season already in globetrotter mode, playing six tournaments by mid-February in five different countries on three continents. His schedule took him to Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, France and the United States before he headed to Mexico two weeks later.
The Frenchman has finished a whopping 15 seasons in the top 100 of the rankings, but never in the top 20. He’s currently ranked No. 67 and has earned $900,000 in prize money this year. In that tier of the rankings, he can automatically enter into most tournaments without having to go through qualifiers, but he’s still in a position where he’s hunting for more points and more wins.
Daniel Altmaier (ATP No. 57), Valentin Royer (ATP No. 79), Adam Walton (ATP No. 93) and Alycia Parks (WTA No. 79) have all played 27 events this calendar year.
“For top players, you can get some rest because you’re going to play well when you’re playing tournaments,” Mannarino said. “For someone like me, I need to play a lot, because sometimes you’re looking for a good draw, getting lucky one week here or there and then making some points. The better player you are, the more you can take some rest, but for second-tier players, you have to play as much as you can.”
Of players ranked in the top 50, Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (No. 28) has played the most events with 25. Tabilo also had no idea that he was near the top of the leaderboard, but said that he does like getting lots of match reps.
“I’m a person that likes to keep going, keep playing matches,” Tabilo said. “I’m very competitive. So when I stop for too long, it feels like the routine kind of kills me a little bit. I need to be playing and feeling that, like, adrenaline of playing the point.”
Mannarino’s playing style is perhaps the most peculiar of anyone on the tour. He strings his racquet at just over 20 pounds, an absurdly low tension compared to his peers, giving him an extra power boost. He hits flat strokes with short, compact backswings, which is one reason he has a 58% career win rate on grass but only 20% on clay. He’s won more titles after his 35th birthday than before.
The 20-year pro is equally idiosyncratic off the court. He doesn’t look at a tournament bracket, so he never thinks about who he plays next, and he recently spent more than a year without a clothing sponsor. (Mannarino is currently sponsored by French apparel brand Celio.) His nonchalant attitude towards crafting his densely packed schedule is perfectly on brand.
“I’ve never paid attention,” Mannarino said. “You know, if there’s a tournament one week, I’m going. Why not?”
Mannarino plays Alexander Bublik Wednesday in the second round of the U.S. Open.
Additional reporting from Sara Germano.
Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.