Mensik proving a Top 10 conqueror; Will Djokovic be next in Shanghai?
#NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik is quickly becoming a Top 10 menace. Will Novak Djokovic be the next player he stuns?
The 19-year-old from Czechia ousted No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on Wednesday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters to earn his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Djokovic.
“[I am] more than excited. Exciting is really a small word [for how I feel]. But yeah, obviously a dream come true,” Mensik said. “Because of him, I started to play tennis. When I was young and starting to play tennis, he was already on the top. So I was like, ‘Wow, he’s really good’.
“He [won] a lot of Grand Slams. And right now, when I’m 19 and he’s still playing, I have this chance to play against him. Of course, when I started to play, there was one wish — to play against him. So I’m really happy that it came true, and that I can play with him. We’ll see which level I am on Friday.”
Remember the name 🌟#NextGenATP star @mensik_jakub_ records his fourth consecutive Top 10 victory to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/g5Dvbktirt
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 9, 2024
Mensik will enter the match with confidence knowing he has won four consecutive matches against Top 10 opponents, including two in Shanghai (he is 4-2 overall). With his victory against Dimitrov, the teen became the second player this year (also Fabian Maroszan in Miami) to advance to a quarter-final by claiming multiple Top 10 wins.
The fourth-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah also eliminated World No. 6 Andrey Rublev in the second round en route to his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. He is the youngest quarter-finalist in tournament history.
[ATP APP]Mensik led by a service break in the deciding set and unsuccessfully served for the match at 5-3. However, he bounced back quickly in the next game and hit a blistering backhand return winner to break for the third time in the match according to Infosys ATP Stats and seal his victory after two hours and three minutes.
“[It was a] very difficult match on the mental side because [there] were a lot of ups and downs. Grigor plays really well and always you have to keep fighting for every point,” Mensik said. “It’s always tough to stay focused. So yeah, I’m really happy that I won, but it cost me a lot of energy.”
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