Shanghai

Mensik showing a Top 10 conqueror; Will Djokovic be next in Shanghai?

Czech advances to very first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final

October 09, 2024

#NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik is rapidly ending up being a Top 10 threat. Will Novak Djokovic be the next gamer 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 make his very first Lexus ATP Head2Headvertisement conference 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 stated. “Because of him, I began to play tennis. When I was young and beginning to play tennis, he was currently on the top. So I resembled, ‘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 4th successive Top 10 success to reach his very first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/g5Dvbktirt

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 9, 2024

Mensik will get in the match with self-confidence understanding he has actually won 4 successive matches versus Top 10 challengers, consisting of 2 in Shanghai (he is 4-2 general). With his success versus Dimitrov, the teenager ended up being the 2nd gamer this year (likewise Fabian Maroszan in Miami) to advance to a quarter-final by declaring several Top 10 wins.

The fourth-placed gamer in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah likewise gotten rid of World No. 6 Andrey Rublev in the 2nd round en path to his very first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. He is the youngest quarter-finalist in competition history.

Mensik led by a service break in the choosing set and unsuccessfully served for the match at 5-3. However, he recuperated rapidly in the next video game and struck a blistering backhand return winner to break for the 3rd time in the match according to Infosys ATP Stats and seal his success after 2 hours and 3 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 stated. “It’s always tough to stay focused. So yeah, I’m really happy that I won, but it cost me a lot of energy.”