Jakub Mensik Beats Taylor Fritz To Set Miami Open Final With Novak Djokovic
Jakub Mensik upset third seed Taylor Fritz at the Miami Open to book a final clash against childhood hero Novak Djokovic.
Czech teenager Jakub Mensik upset third seed Taylor Fritz on Saturday, winning 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) to earn a place in the Miami Open final against Novak Djokovic.
The big-serving Mensik, ranked 54th in the world, struck 25 aces but was never able to break his American opponent and triumphed when Fritz found the net on match point.
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“The return was tough today," Mensik said. “We were serving really great today so he didn’t give me an opportunity to break him. It was just the tie-breaks for me that was the decider. I came to show my best performance in the tie-breaks."
Fritz twice found himself within two points of defeat on serve at 4-5 and 5-6 but clawed his way into the third-set tie-break, having defended his serve throughout the match. But Mensik, who lost two 25-shot rallies to Fritz at critical moments earlier in the set, won a 27-shot rally on Fritz’s serve to set up two match points in the tie-break, and he only needed one.
Fritz outhit Mensik 25 winners to 15 from the baseline according to ATP Stats, but the American’s 20 unforced forehand errors proved costly. Both players were near untouchable on serve, with Mensik winning 82 per cent of first-serve points, a tick higher than Fritz’s 80 per cent.
Mensik, who also took out World No. 7 and Indian Wells champion Jack Draper in the second round, has surged 24 places this week to a career-high No. 30 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He will rocket to No. 24 should he win the title Sunday.
At 19 years and six months, he is the third youngest Miami finalist, behind Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, who were both 18 years and nine months when they reached their first Miami finals.
Looking ahead to playing his idol Djokovic on Sunday, Mensik said, “It feels incredible. For me it was a dream to play against him in Shanghai. For now it’s a bit different. I am a better player now and I’m going to enjoy and it’s going to be really exciting. Let’s see what’s going to happen Sunday."
Mensik won the first set against Djokovic in their lone Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Shanghai last year before the 40-time ATP Masters 1000 champion rallied to win 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4.
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