ATP Miami, Mensik wins. No title number 100 for Djokovic

Miami, March 31, 2025 - No 100th title for Novak Djokovic, but first for Jakub Mensik. In the final of Miami Masters 1000 Serbian surrenders to young Czech talent 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) at the end of a match that started almost 6 hours late due to the rain.

Despite his inexperience, Mensik managed to dominate a tight match with a very high level of play against the Serbian grandmaster with 24 Grand Slam titles and win a perfect tournament: only one set lost, but above all 7 tie-breaks played and 7 won, of which the last 4 (two in the semi-final and two in the final) were always won by 7 points to 4. "The first of many others", wrote the XNUMX-year-old in front of the camera after his historic victory, the first by a Czech tennis player in a Masters 1000 since Tomas Berdych in Paris in 2005. And congratulations also came from the former world number 1. "It pains me to say it but you were the best in the important moments and you were strong from a mental point of view. You have a great future and please let me win one of the times we face each other, you have so many other opportunities ahead of you", said Djokovic at the award ceremony.

A great tennis hope, Mensik was not yet born when Djokovic played his first Grand Slam matches in early 2005. "An hour before my first match in Miami, I had the paper in my hand to withdraw from the tournament because my knee was hurting so much," said the new winner, thanking in particular one of the ATP physiotherapists who got him back on his feet. "It's incredible. It was probably the most important day of my life and I played a super match, a solid performance, holding my nerves well even while waiting outside the court before the match", he added, underlining that "there is no more difficult task" than beating Djokovic in the final. 

Despite the defeat, the Serbian champion, who withdrew from the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January, showed that his level is still high enough to aim for the most important titles.

Novak Djokovic at the end of the final of the Miami Apt tournament (Ansa)

The match

Having entered the field, Mensik handled the pressure very well, bringing himself immediately ahead 3-0. The Czech climbed ahead to 4-1, then at 4-2, in the delicate seventh game, he lost his serve, putting the Serb back in the game. But in that moment Mensik conceded to his rival the only break point of the entire match, then dominating the tie-break of the first set by 7 points to 4. In the second set Mensik tried to open up a gap in the fifth game, but missed two break points. The epilogue once again came in the tie-break that once again ended 7 points to 4 with the Czech closing with the last service winner of the match.

They ended up on Mensik's abacus 14 aces in 12 service games, only one double fault, 67% of first serve points, 77% of points scored with the first serve, 54% of points scored with the second serve, only one break point conceded and a final balance of 76 points won and 76 points lost.