Tommy Paul kept his run going at the Miami Open 2026, but the win came with a small controversy that quickly caught attention online. The American player fought back to beat Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in a match that lasted over two hours. The turning point came in the third set, when Paul twisted his ankle and took a medical timeout early on. Soon after the match ended, a comment about a “cold handshake” between the two players started spreading. Journalist Jose Morgado shared the claim on X, suggesting that Mannarino was not happy with Paul’s medical break. But within minutes, Mannarino stepped in and cleared the air himself, saying there was no issue at all between them.
Adrian Mannarino denies cold handshake claim after Tommy Paul win as Miami Open drama fades quickly
The talk began when Jose Morgado posted that Adrian Mannarino looked upset during the handshake because he did not believe Tommy Paul’s medical timeout at 1-2 in the third set. In reality, Paul had clearly rolled his ankle and needed treatment before continuing.Adrian Mannarino did not let the story grow. He replied directly and explained what really happened at the net.“I didn’t see any cold handshake, I told him, ‘well done and good luck,’ and he replied, thanks man,” Mannarino wrote on X.That simple reply quickly shut down the idea of any tension between the two players. On the court, the match itself had its share of swings. Mannarino was actually leading with a break in the third set, but Paul stayed calm, broke back, and finished strong to move into the Round of 32.Tommy Paul will now face Belgium’s Raphael Collignon in the next round, with the schedule yet to be confirmed.Away from the match, Paul was also part of a light moment with fellow American Jessica Pegula. The two had recently played mixed doubles together at the Eisenhower Cup but lost in the first round. Pegula joked that their partnership might not be working and shared how frustrated Paul had been after a series of losses.“Tommy Paul, I think we might be done… I don’t know if we are meant to play mixed together… He was like so upset,” Jessica Pegula said, talking about his recent results, including a heavy loss to Taylor Fritz at the MGM Slam.Tommy Paul saw the clip on Instagram and responded in a fun way, writing, “Did I just get dumped?!”Pegula continued the joke and hinted that Paul should team up with Madison Keys again. The exchange showed a lighter side of Paul, even as he tries to find consistency in a tough 2026 season.
