Mensik: “Playing with Djokovic made it even more special” | ATP Tour

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Mensik: “Playing against Djokovic made it more special”

The Czech reflects after winning his first ATP Tour title in Florida

March 31, 2025

Jakub Messik spent his childhood watching Novak Djokovic win titles in the ATP Tour. On Sunday night, the Czech defeated his idol to conquer his first trophy at the Miami Open presented by Itaú.

Speaking to the media after the game, the Central Europe began to assimilate everything achieved.

“It means a lot to me. It’s all I can say right now. Feelings will come something later, but I’m beginning to understand that it has been incredible. These two weeks were,” Mesik said during his press conference as a champion. “My game has been improving. Winning Novak tonight in the Tie-Breaks has been madness.”

“I followed his games when he was a child. I started playing at tennis thanks to him. It is incredible to have had the opportunity, for the second time, to face him. Defeat him in the final of this tournament … It is a dream to win an ATP tournament, and even better if it is a 1000 masters. Compete before Novak in the final makes it more special.”

Mesik, who has climbed 30 positions until occupying the highest square of his career as No. 24 of the PIF ATP Rankings, starred in a dream tournament at the ATP Masters 1000 in Florida, where he also surpassed Top 10 figures such as Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper.

However, experience could have been totally different for Czech. Before his first round match he was about to resign the tournament.

“Two days before the first game, the knee began to hurt. I visited the doctors,” Mesik said. “It was nothing serious, simply a strong inflammation. I could not walk or run. I started to take painful, but nothing was solved. The day of the game had the same sensations as the previous day. I tried to use the running tape, but I couldn’t even get up. And I thought: ‘I’m going to retire from the tournament.’

“I did nothing. I went to the doctor’s office to collect the role. I was going to the physiotherapist room and went through the supervisor’s office to warn my retirement. But I was having lunch at that time. So I went first to the physiotherapy room. They started doing a couple of treatments [durante 30 minutos]. And they insisted: ‘It’s nothing serious, you can play with this pain and nothing will happen.’ After a few minutes, I began to feel relieved. I took different soothing that helped me. Thus, 30 minutes before the game was able to run. “

“I managed to win the first round and then I had a day off. That was very good for my knee. Day by day the articulation was improving, and with that my game also rose.”

Mesik connected 97 aces on the way to the final, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and was relentless with the serve in the decisive party. The Czech shot 14 aces To win 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) to Djokovic, forced to continue looking for title No. 100 of his career. At the close of the game, Mesik and Djokovic merged into an emotional hug on the network.

“You realize the incredible person that is,” Mesik said about Djokovic. “He is a real champion by showing this type of respect. Although he has won so many titles and made history in sport, he continues to reach the finals of the biggest tournaments of ATP Tour.”

“To be able to compete before him and hear him say those words, it is the reason why I do this. I am on the right track, doing the right things. Thanks to him I began to play in tennis. Facing him in the final has been simply incredible.”

A dream come true 🥹

🇨🇿 @mensik_jakub_ expires his idol in the final of the @MiamiOpen 👏pic.twitter.com/4SEL6DGYrd

– ATP Tour en Español (@atppour_es) March 31, 2025

If Djokovic will continue to look for title No. 100 of his collection, Mesik appears as a figure capable of competing in the final rounds of tournaments in the coming years. After his victory, Jakub wrote “The #1 of many” about the camera lens.

“I know that this is not the end, but simply the beginning for me,” Mesik said, becoming the second youngest champion in the history of the tournament after Carlos Alcaraz. “I am 19 years old and much of my career ahead. It is fantastic to have this trophy by my side, but I don’t want to settle for a tournament. I am hungry to achieve more.”

“Right now I want to celebrate and rest. When I return home, I must return to work to continue progress.

Mensik is the most recent example of the potential seen in the Next Gen ATP Finals present by Pif 2024. Champion Joao Fonseca raised his first ATP Tour title on the clay of Buenos Aires in February, while Learner Tien has added two Top 5 victories against Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev this year.