Teenager Mensik denies Djokovic 100th title in Miami

Czech teenager Jakub Mensik defeated his childhood idol, Novak Djokovic, to win the Miami Open. Just hours before his first match, he nearly withdrew due to a knee injury.

Mensik, 19, went to the referee's room to announce his withdrawal. However, the official was out for lunch. He then sought help from a physiotherapist to fill out withdrawal paperwork but was convinced to stay.

"I couldn't walk or run," Mensik said. "I started taking painkillers, but nothing helped." He visited the referee's office again but found no one there.

The physiotherapist assessed his injury and began treatment. "After a few minutes, I felt some relief," Mensik explained. He took different painkillers and decided to compete just 30 minutes before the match.

"Somehow I won the first round," he said. After a day off, his knee improved along with his game.

Mensik dropped only two sets on his way to the final. His victories included wins over British number one Jack Draper and fourth seed Taylor Fritz.

He secured his first ATP Tour title by defeating Djokovic 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) in Florida's humid conditions. Djokovic aimed for his 100th singles title but fell short against Mensik.

At just 19 years old, Mensik is now ranked 24th in the world. He is also the second-youngest champion at Miami after Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic invited Mensik to practice after the 2022 Australian Open when he was still a junior. In his winner's speech, Mensik credited Djokovic as "the reason I am here."

"It's unbelievable what he's achieved in this sport," Mensik said about Djokovic. He added that he hopes to play finals at age 39 like Djokovic does now.

Djokovic congratulated Mensik after their match and admitted he played better that day. "I wish you luck," he told him with a smile.

Mensik has risen quickly in tennis rankings since breaking into the top 100 in February 2024 by reaching the Qatar Open final.

In Miami, he beat three top-10 players: Djokovic, Jack Draper, and Taylor Fritz. Despite a five-and-a-half hour rain delay before the final, he adapted faster than Djokovic did.

Mensik broke Djokovic early and surged ahead with a quick lead of 4-1. Meanwhile, Djokovic struggled at first; he fell twice and dealt with swelling under his right eye during play.

As their match progressed, Djokovic’s serve improved while Mensik maintained pressure with strong serves of his own. A tie-break seemed inevitable as both players battled intensely for points.

Despite facing challenges similar to their previous meeting in Shanghai last year, this time Mensik kept up his intensity throughout both sets without facing break points in the second set.

The heat affected Djokovic as he struggled between points while trying to catch up with Mensik’s pace on court. Eventually, Mensik set up three match points during long rallies against him.

Though one point slipped away due to an excellent return from Djokovic, Mensik sealed victory with an impressive serve out wide on another chance.

With this win at Miami Open, Mensik will rise further in rankings while aiming for more success ahead.