Mensik Breaking Down Barriers At Miami Open

Jakub Mensik, Miami Open
Jakub Mensik (photo: Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium)

MIAMI/WASHINGTON, March 28, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

In the youngest ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal since 19-year-olds Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune faced each other at Paris in 2022, World No. 54 Jakub Mensik of Czechia rolled to a 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory over World No. 18 and 17th seed Arthur Fils of France, in an hour and 15 minutes on Hard Rock Stadium Thursday afternoon to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

Both #NextGenATP stars were playing in their second ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal – but it was the 19-year-old Mensik who took matters one step further for the first time in his young career. He’s through to his third tour-level semifinal overall – and first above ATP 250 level.

Mensik (13-6 in 2025) became the first Czech man to reach the Miami Open semifinals in 10 years, since Tomas Berdych in 2015. He did it by winning 86 percent of his first-serve points, hit 26 winners – including 13 aces – made 23 unforced errors and converted four of seven break points. By comparison, Fils hit 19 winners but also made 19 unforced errors. Mensik outpointed the 20-year-old Frenchman 68-54.

“It feels incredible; it’s the biggest result so far in my career,” Mensik said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “I’m glad I just kept going since the first round. That’s the key, to keep the focus. It’s the toughest to play the two-week Masters 1000s. The job is not done.”

With his run in Miami, which has included wins over Roberto Bautista Agut, Indian Wells champion Jack Draper, Roman Safiullin and recent Acapulco titlist Tomas Machac, Mensik has seen his PIF ATP Live Ranking rise to a career-best No. 34.

“Before every season, I set up my goals that I want to reach during the season,” Mensik said. “I have an incredible team. We are doing a great job – always the key. We are working hard and it is paying off. I’m glad things are going this way. Let’s see what’s going to happen.”

Seventh match point is lucky one for Fritz

In Friday’s semifinal round, Mensik will face World No. 4 and third seed Taylor Fritz of the United States, who squandered six match points in the second set, then rallied to defeat No. 29 seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy, 7-5, 6-7 (7), 7-5, in two hours and 44 minutes to reach his sixth career ATP Masters 1000 semifinal.

“It was tough. I kept trying to tell myself that he played well and it’s not as much on me, so try not to get frustrated,” Fritz said during his on-court interview with ATP Media, reflecting on his second-set misfortunes. “I think my best looks there I had three match points seeing a second serve from him. I think I really have to win one of those.

“I can’t be too frustrated with the 6-5 point, I honestly hit a really, really good serve and he full-commit leaned there. If I would’ve gone 110 mph wide, I probably would’ve aced him. He committed hard for the return and he crushed it. I got to give it to him, he raised his level a lot.”

The American No. 1, who improved to 14-5 on the season, finished with 38 winners – including 16 aces – to 25 unforced errors, compared to 41 winners and 35 unforced errors for Berrettini. Fritz converted three of 11 break points and outpointed his opponent 118-107, putting away his fifth career win over the Italian on his seventh match-point opportunity.

Djokovic becomes oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist

When No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic secured a 6-3, 7-6 (4) quarterfinal victory over Sebastian Korda by serving his 11th ace of the one-hour, 22-minute match, the World No. 5 from Serbia turned to his box, which included his coach Andy Murray, and roared his approval at what he had just accomplished.

The 37-year-old Djokovic had become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist in series history (going back to its inception in 1990), surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the semifinals at Indian Wells and Miami at 37 years and seven months in 2019. In a match that was postponed from Wednesday night due to ATP Tour rules that regulate how late a match can start, the wait was worth it for Djokovic. The victory was his second in two meetings against the 24th-seeded American.

On Friday, Djokovic will face No. 14 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria – whom he has beaten in 12 of 13 meetings – in the last four as he continues his chase for a record-setting seventh Miami Open and 100th tour-level title.

Against Korda, Djokovic won 84 percent of his first-serve points – dropping just eight points – and hit 19 winners to 18 unforced errors. He converted both of his break-point opportunities, including in the ninth game of the second set to get back on serve, after trailing earlier 3-0. Then, he got the match to a tie-break and played solidly down the stretch. Djokovic outpointed Korda 64-51.

Djokovic was asked by ATP Media during his on-court interview about the effectiveness of his first serves against Korda. he said: “As good as one can feel about his serve. Unbelievable serving the whole tournament, I’ve been serving really well. Especially today and I needed it because Sebastian in the second set was just making me run and he was playing really well from the back of the court, maybe not making as many errors like in the first set. …

“Tie-break could have been anybody’s game, but again, serve got me out of trouble. [At] 5-4, serve winner. [At] 6-4, ace to finish the match. I’ll take that as a highlight from the match today.”

Around Hard Rock Stadium

The men’s doubles semifinals took place on the Grandstand Thursday. In the first semifinal, No. 2 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain faced No. 6 seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain. The second semifinal matched No. 1 seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia against No. 5 seeds Nikola Mektic of Croatia and Michael Venus of New Zealand.

Advancing to Saturday’s final first was Cash and Glasspool, who pulled off a 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) victory in an hour and 38 minutes. The winners combined to serve five aces, won 83 percent of their first-serve points and saved all four break points they faced. They were outpointed by Heliovaara and Glasspool 78-75. Cash and Glasspool will face Arevalo and Pavic, who rallied to beat Mektic and Venus, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 10-5, in an hour and 32 minutes, by combining for five service aces, winning 72 percent of their first-serve points, saving five of seven break-point chances and outpointing their opponents 70-66.

Thursday’s Miami Open results

Friday’s Miami Open order of play

By the numbers

Novak Djokovic, at 37 years and 10 months, has become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist in series history (since 1990), surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the semifinals of both Indian Wells and Miami at 37 years and seven months in 2019.

“Quotable …”

“I think I definitely played better here than I did the last few weeks, but I’m up a break in the third, there is no reason for me to lose this match. I go on to lose four games in a row. In Indian Wells I’m serving for the match, and in Rio I am up 4-1 in the third. In Buenos Aires I was up a set and a break. I’m just losing a lot of matches from a winning position right now. I need to change that.”

– World No. 2 Alexander Zverev of Germany, during his post-match news conference Wednesday, after losing to World No. 18 and 17th seed Arthur Fils, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

 

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