By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday, March 27, 2025
Teenage sensation Jakub Mensik, just 19 years old, has been setting the courts on fire at this year’s Miami Open. On Thursday, he delivered another masterclass performance. Against 20-year-old Arthur Fils, Mensik fired 13 aces and lost only five points on his first serve, cruising to a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory.
After his match, Mensik shared his excitement, “It feels incredible. This is the biggest result of my career so far, so I’m thrilled to keep pushing from the first round. Keeping focus over these two weeks is the key, though there’s still work to be done.”
Ranked 54th, Mensik reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal, making him the fifth youngest to make it to the final four in Miami.
Reflecting on his powerful serving, Mensik explained, “Transitioning from juniors to the professional circuit involved a lot of hard work, particularly focusing on the serve and release exercises. We emphasized this game style early in my career. All the hard work paid off, and right now, during matches, I feel confident. My serve is definitely a big weapon.”
Mensik’s serve even caught the attention of tennis legend Novak Djokovic during their encounter last year in Shanghai. Djokovic complimented Mensik’s serve, saying, “After facing him, it’s clear why he’s one of the best servers in the game. He’s only 19, and his future is glowing bright. I’ve let him know that I’m always here for him, no matter what he needs.”
The opening set against Fils wasn’t all smooth sailing. Mensik had to grind through a challenging first set, especially after his early 4-1 lead was pegged back. He did, however, manage to navigate a tricky 5-5, 15-40 situation with some clutch serves, eventually clinching the set in a tiebreak.
Mensik is the first Czech player to advance to the Miami semifinals since Tomas Berdych in 2015. His next challenge awaits on Friday when he faces either Matteo Berrettini or Taylor Fritz.
