Adrian Mannarino has no plans to retire just yet, but the veteran admits it is hard to accept that he is “past his prime”.

The 38-year-old currently sits at 78th in the world and is more than capable of pulling off an upset, something he did in his second-round win over sixth seed Flavio Cobolli at the Shanghai Masters.

The Frenchman had the best year of his career at the age of 35 when he finished 2023 with a year-end ranking of 22, which included three ATP Tour titles and three top 10 victories.

But ‘Father Time’ is undefeated, something even 39-year-old Novak Djokovic cannot outrun. Mannarino is in a similar boat, and while he knows his physical shortcomings, the left-hander will fight on, nonetheless.

He told L’Equipe, “I’ve been doing this since I was a little kid. For now, tennis is the only thing I know (smiles). It’s a job I quite enjoy; I still manage to have fun on the court.

“It’s also a way to make a living; it’s a profession where you earn a very good living, I have to admit. As long as I’m still competitive, why not continue? Another year or two, I don’t know, we’ll see where it all takes me.”

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In order for him to keep plying his trade, Mannarino – who has earned more than $15million in prize money – will need to rely on his aging body. While he knows that he is half a step slower than in his heyday, the former world No 17 isn’t dwelling on it too much.

He added, “I’m aware that, physically, I’m a bit past my prime. 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. As long as I can maintain a good level, playing matches like I did in the first two rounds [in Shanghai] is quite enjoyable. I don’t dwell on it too much; I’m pretty focused on the task at hand.

“Travel, tournaments, it never stops. Luckily, perhaps, I don’t have enough time to ask myself the right questions (smiles). I’m going all out. In this profession, if you don’t give it 100%, unless you’re a prodigy, you can’t exist.”

After more than 20 years as a professional, some would forgive Mannarino for easing up as he nears the finish line. However, the five-time ATP Tour title winner knows you cannot rest on your laurels, else you will get left behind.

When asked if he is forced to cut back on training, he said, “I can’t do more, that’s for sure, but I can try to do the same amount. As time goes by and you get older, you want to do a little less. I hear advice: ‘You have to do a little less, but of higher quality.’

“Well, excuse me, that’s a bit of wishful thinking. If you want to be competitive against 20-year-olds, you shouldn’t do less.

“As soon as I put a little less intensity into training, physically or even mentally, because there are times when it’s harder to find the motivation, I feel it immediately: the results are much worse. You always have to maintain quality because the competition doesn’t wait for you.”

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