Latest news with #JakubMensik
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mashpee vs Amesbury girls tennis
Teenager Jakub Mensik recounts incredible Miami triumph One of the best tennis stories of 2025 saw teenager Jakub Menšík deny boyhood idol Novak Djokovic of his 100th career title, stunning the 24-time grand slam singles champion in the Miami Open final in March. The 19-year-old exhibited an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career. In claiming his first career ATP title, Menšík became the second-youngest winner of the Miami Open after Carlos Alcaraz in 2022. But incredibly, Menšík very nearly didn't play at all in Miami. Ahead of his first-round match against Jack Draper, Menšík was suffering with knee pain and went to the tournament referee's office with the intention of withdrawing from the Miami Open. Instead, Menšík received treatment from the physiotherapist and took some pain killers, relieving his knee pain enough to take the court. He's been looking back on his breakthrough and ahead to the French Open with Don Riddell. 3:32 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Alex de Minaur and Jakub Mensik latest French Open seeds to fall after five-set upsets
Alex de Minaur and Jakub Mensik became the latest men's seeds to fall at the French Open after both players blew two-set leads to lose in the second round on Thursday. Ninth seed De Minaur lost to the often erratic and mercurial Alexander Bublik, who fought from behind to win 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2. Aussie De Minaur had reached the quarter-finals at the last four grand slams, including last year's French Open. On his way to victory, Bublik threw in an unnecessary on set point in the fourth, before winning the point with a backhand winner. Soon after, Portugal's Henrique Rocha dropped the 'cold' celebration after also coming from two sets down to defeat 19th seed Mensik. Mensik had won the Miami Open earlier this season and reached the quarter-finals in Madrid, but qualifier Rocha, the World No 200, won 2-6 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-3. He celebrated by dropping his racket and rubbing his arms as if he was cold, an ode to Chelsea and England footballer Cole Palmer. De Minaur and Mensik's exits follow those of two-time French Open runner-up Casper Ruud and former Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday. Ruud struggled with injury during his defeat to Portugal's Nuno Borges while Tsitsipas was stunned by Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The hallowed clay courts of Roland Garros
Teenager Jakub Mensik recounts incredible Miami triumph One of the best tennis stories of 2025 saw teenager Jakub Menšík deny boyhood idol Novak Djokovic of his 100th career title, stunning the 24-time grand slam singles champion in the Miami Open final in March. The 19-year-old exhibited an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career. In claiming his first career ATP title, Menšík became the second-youngest winner of the Miami Open after Carlos Alcaraz in 2022. But incredibly, Menšík very nearly didn't play at all in Miami. Ahead of his first-round match against Jack Draper, Menšík was suffering with knee pain and went to the tournament referee's office with the intention of withdrawing from the Miami Open. Instead, Menšík received treatment from the physiotherapist and took some pain killers, relieving his knee pain enough to take the court. He's been looking back on his breakthrough and ahead to the French Open with Don Riddell. 3:32 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eyes on Andreeva in French Open third round
Teenager Jakub Mensik recounts incredible Miami triumph One of the best tennis stories of 2025 saw teenager Jakub Menšík deny boyhood idol Novak Djokovic of his 100th career title, stunning the 24-time grand slam singles champion in the Miami Open final in March. The 19-year-old exhibited an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career. In claiming his first career ATP title, Menšík became the second-youngest winner of the Miami Open after Carlos Alcaraz in 2022. But incredibly, Menšík very nearly didn't play at all in Miami. Ahead of his first-round match against Jack Draper, Menšík was suffering with knee pain and went to the tournament referee's office with the intention of withdrawing from the Miami Open. Instead, Menšík received treatment from the physiotherapist and took some pain killers, relieving his knee pain enough to take the court. He's been looking back on his breakthrough and ahead to the French Open with Don Riddell. 3:32 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Reuters
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Djokovic-mentored Mensik overcomes crowd hostility for French Open win
PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) - Jakub Mensik said he tried to compose himself like his mentor Novak Djokovic would to handle the partisan French Open crowd after the talented Czech teenager downed local hope Alexandre Muller in a tense clash on Tuesday. Mensik sealed a 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 6-3 victory on a raucous and sometimes hostile Court 14 to book his place in the second round and said he benefited from the experience. He turned up the heat on a cold day at Roland Garros after winning the third set, celebrating exuberantly before pretending to conduct the crowd as jeers rained down on him, similar to how Djokovic has done in the past. "It's such a great experience. Everyone was telling me that at Roland Garros, the atmosphere, the French people are special. I experienced that. I'm glad for that experience," 19-year-old Mensik told reporters. "Like Novak says, when sometimes the crowd is against him ... I was repeating in my head when they were cheering or shouting his (Muller's) name, I was trying to focus that they are shouting my name. "The atmosphere here is something special. Of course, sometimes it was really difficult. In those pressure situations, I played my best tennis, which was the key. Maybe they pushed me forward. That's why I played that good in the fourth set." Djokovic, who took Mensik under his wing a few years ago, can expect a similar reception when he faces Corentin Moutet or Clement Tabur in the next round after the three-times champion beat Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-3 6-3 in his opener. "It's logical to expect that," Djokovic said. "Let's take all four slams. Anywhere you go, and you play the local player coming from that country where the slam is played, that they're going to have the crowd on their side. Nothing strange about it. "But it's true that here in France and in Paris, compared to other slams, people are louder and more passionate and just give more support, louder support, more energy to their player, which for some players can be annoying. "It's not the ideal environment you want to be playing in, but you have to be ready for it. I've played in a lot of hostile environments in my career and it's not something I haven't experienced before."
