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Victor Petkov
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19-year-old Mensik stuns Djokovic for historic Miami Open title
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The Czech sensation needed two tiebreaks to lift his first Masters trophy

Teenager Jakub Mensik denied Novak Djokovic his 100th ATP singles title with an impressive performance to win the Miami Open. The 19-year-old Czech defeated the Serbian legend 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) on a humid night, securing his first ATP Tour title. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was aiming to become just the third man in the Open era to achieve 100 singles titles, but his wait continues after the loss to Mensik, who was just 10 months old when Djokovic claimed his first title in 2006.

Mensik’s victory makes him the ninth-youngest Masters 1000 champion and the third-youngest in Miami, following Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. As a rising star in men’s tennis, Mensik is known for his powerful serve and strong backhand, qualities that have propelled him into the world’s top 50.

Interestingly, Djokovic once invited Mensik to practice with him after the 2022 Australian Open when the Czech player was still a junior. In his winner’s speech, Mensik expressed gratitude towards Djokovic, saying he was “the reason I am here.” He also thanked his physiotherapist, who helped him overcome a knee injury that almost forced him to withdraw from the tournament. Mensik revealed that just an hour before his first match, he was on the verge of pulling out, but his physiotherapist performed what he called a “miracle” treatment.

After the match, Djokovic warmly congratulated Mensik, acknowledging his opponent’s superior performance by saying, “It hurts me to admit it but you were better. I wish you the best of luck. Maybe you’ll let me win one of the next times we play.”