In a thrilling Miami Open final, 19-year-old Jakub Mensik delivered a stunning upset, defeating tennis legend Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) to claim his first ATP title.
The Czech teenager, ranked 54th before the tournament, showcased incredible composure and power to deny Djokovic his 100th career title and a record-extending seventh Miami Open crown.
Despite facing a series of challenges—including a match delay of over five hours due to rain, an eye infection, and difficult court conditions caused by humidity—Djokovic was ultimately outplayed by the young prodigy.
Mensik’s booming 130 mph serve and aggressive shot-making proved too much for the 37-year-old Serbian, who struggled to find his rhythm in key moments.
Mensik fired 14 aces and was broken just once, sealing the victory with a service winner before collapsing on the court in disbelief.
During the post-match ceremony, Mensik expressed his admiration for Djokovic, revealing that the 24-time Grand Slam champion was his childhood idol.
“You’re the one I idolized when I was young,” Mensik said. “I started playing tennis because of you.”
Djokovic, gracious in defeat, acknowledged the teenager’s remarkable achievement.
“This is a joyous moment for him and his family—an unbelievable tournament, the first of many,” he said. “It hurts me to admit it, but you were better. In the clutch moments, you delivered the goods. For a young player like yourself, this is a great feature.”
The Miami crowd, overwhelmingly in support of Djokovic, stayed late into the night despite the rain delay, chanting his name in crucial moments.
The Serbian veteran, who had not played in Miami since 2019, expressed appreciation for the fans, calling it one of the warmest receptions he has ever received.
However, Djokovic’s performance appeared to be hampered by an eye irritation, which he treated with eyedrops during changeovers.
Though he downplayed its impact after the match, he admitted, “I really prefer not to talk about it. I didn’t feel my greatest on the court.”
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The final saw Mensik take an early 3-0 lead in the first set before Djokovic fought back to level at 4-4.
But the teenager held firm, closing out the set in a tiebreak with fearless shot-making. In the second-set tiebreak, he once again dominated, sealing his maiden ATP 1000 title with an overhead smash.
Djokovic had been well aware of Mensik’s potential, having invited him to train in Belgrade when the young Czech was just 16.
“He has the complete game. His serve is incredible—powerful, precise,” Djokovic said.
