By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 27, 2025
19-year-old Jakub Mensik has been the best serve at this year’s Miami Open, and the trend continued on Thursday as he fired 13 aces and won all but five of his first-serve points in a 7-6(5), 6-1 win over 20-year-old Arthur Fils.
“It feels incredible. I think the biggest result so far in my career, so I’m glad I just kept going since the first round,” said Mensik on court after his win. “That’s the key, to keep the focus during the two weeks, because it’s always tough… The job is not done.”
54th-ranked Mensik reaches his maiden Masters 1000 semifinal and becomes the fifth youngest player to reach the final four in Miami with his win.
When I came from juniors to the professional level, we did a lot of work, just serve plus one release and everything, like exercises,” Mensik said on Thursday when asked about his serving prowess. “Wo we were focusing a lot on this game style in the beginning of my professional career. “Of course it’s hard work and a lot of serves… right now, of course, during the match I feel pretty confident, and it’s my big, big weapon.”
Novak Djokovic had high praise for Mensik’s delivery after he faced him last year in Shanghai.
“I could see today why he is one of the best servers we have in the game,” the Grand Slam king said. “He is only 19, the future is very bright for him. He knows that I am always there for him, whatever he needs.”
Mensik had to work to get through a tough opening set against the man that eliminated top-seeed Alexander Zverev on Wednesday. Pegged back from a 4-1 lead he got the job down in a tiebreak. He was also serving at 5-5 15-40 but managed to hammer down some big serves to escape the trouble.
Mensik, the first Czech to reach the Miami semis since Tomas Berdych in 2015, will face either Matteo Berrettini or Taylor Fritz in the semifinals on Friday.
