Jakub Mensik will chase his first Masters 1000 crown on Sunday against his idol, Novak Djokovic! The young Czech reached the title clash at the Miami Open following a tight 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 triumph over the home favorite Taylor Fritz in two hours and 25 minutes.
Mensik kept his composure in the closing stages of the duel to become the first Czech player in a Masters 1000 final since Tomas Berdych in 2015. The young gun is also the first player born in 2005 to notch a Masters 1000 final.
With these points, Jakub will debut in the top-30 on Monday.
MASTERFUL MENSIK 😱
The moment @mensik_jakub_ defeated Fritz to become the first Czech to reach a Masters final since 2015! #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/jDkxwKzs7i
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 29, 2025
Mensik and Fritz pushed each other to the limits at Hard Rock Stadium. The lower-ranked player clinched five points more than his rival, including the pivotal ones in both tie breaks. There was only one break in the entire match!
Taylor secured it at the beginning of the second set but could not bring the win home despite keeping his initial shot intact in 17 games! Mensik clinched five mini-breaks and made the difference when it mattered the most.
The American denied two break points in the fourth game of the final set and provided that lone break of serve. Jakub made the difference behind the second serve, although it all came down to the last couple of points. The Czech fired 40 winners and 37 unforced errors.
Fritz responded with a fine 39-35 ratio, battling hard and outplaying his opponent at the net. They remained neck and neck from the baseline, and Jakub took charge in service winners, firing 12 more than his rival and making the difference.
They served well in the opening set. Taylor survived a deuce in games seven and nine to keep his rival away from break chances. The set went into a tie break, and Mensik forged an early advantage. Fritz pulled the mini-break back in the seventh point and leveled the score at 4-4.
However, Jakub landed a forehand crosscourt winner in the ninth point for a mini-break. He drew the rival’s mistake with a fine attack at 6-4 to clinch the opener 7-6 in 52 minutes. The only break of the second set came in the first game.
Mensik netted a backhand to drop serve and fall behind before Fritz painted a backhand down the line winner in the next one for 2-0. The American closed the fourth game with a service winner and secured the sixth after a deuce with a powerful serve.
Jakub served well after that break he suffered, but there was no chance to pull it back. Taylor brought the set home with an ace in game ten, introducing a decider after an hour and a half. The Czech served well in the final set and earned a chance to grab a break at 2-1.
He missed two break chances, allowing his rival to remain on the positive side. Fritz served to stay in the match at 4-5 and closed the game with a service winner for more drama. Mensik fired a forehand winner in the 12th game, reaching a deuce and moving two points away from the finish line.
However, Taylor held and introduced a deciding tie break. The home player netted a forehand in the third point and fell behind. Jakub lost the advantage following a careless backhand in the fifth point. He missed a backhand in the seventh point to fall 4-3 behind.
A teenager cracked two winners for a 5-4 advantage and welcomed the rival’s backhand error in the tenth point for 6-4 and two match points. Mensik drew Fritz’s mistake on the first, rattling off four points and booking his place in the title clash.
