Miami: Nineteen-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik pulled off one of the biggest upsets in tennis history on Sunday, defeating his childhood idol Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(4) to win his first ATP title at the Miami Open.
The victory denied the 24-time Grand Slam champion his quest for a milestone 100th career title.
Ranked 54th in the world, Mensik entered only his second ATP final as the clear underdog but delivered a stunning performance, unleashing 14 aces to overpower the former world number one.
Overcome with emotion, he collapsed onto the court after sealing his historic win with an unreturnable serve.
Djokovic, at 37, was bidding to become just the third man in the Open Era- alongside Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103)-to reach 100 ATP titles.
MASTERS 1000 CHAMPION!!! 🏆
Living the dream Miami! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2tdtFlSBtQ— Jakub Mensik (@mensik_jakub_) March 31, 2025
The Serbian legend got off to a slow start, handing Mensik an early break with an uncharacteristic unforced error. He also suffered a slip in the fifth game, requiring extra time to recover as his devoted fans at Hard Rock Stadium anxiously watched.
Despite leveling the set in the seventh game, Djokovic faltered in the tiebreak as Mensik raced to a 5-0 lead. The young Czech held his composure and secured the first set with a commanding overhead smash.
The second set saw an intense showdown, with Mensik showcasing his agility to counter Djokovic’s signature drop shots. Although the veteran Serb fended off two break points in the fifth game, signs of fatigue became evident. In the decisive tiebreak, Djokovic collapsed from exhaustion after a grueling 21-shot rally, ultimately conceding the match.
“It hurts me to admit it, but you were better,” Djokovic acknowledged. The tennis icon had previously invited Mensik to train with him in 2022 after the Czech prodigy reached the Australian Open juniors final.
Mensik’s victory capped an extraordinary tournament run, which included an upset over third seed Taylor Fritz.
