In a sensational breakthrough on the ATP Tour, 19-year-old Jakub Mensik defeated tennis legend Novak Djokovic to win the 2025 Miami Open, marking his first career title in stunning fashion.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia
The Czech teenager held his nerve on a hot and humid night in Florida, prevailing 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) over the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
With the victory, Mensik denied Djokovic a historic milestone: a 100th ATP singles title.
Djokovic was aiming to become just the third man in the Open Era to reach the century mark, a feat achieved only by Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.
Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic celebrates after defeating Novak Djokovic
Mensik’s win was historic in its own right. He becomes the ninth-youngest Masters 1000 champion and the third-youngest to win in Miami, following in the footsteps of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
His powerful serve and explosive backhand have propelled him into the top 50 in the ATP rankings, and his performance in Miami has cemented his place among the sport's most exciting young talents.
The victory was especially meaningful for Mensik, who grew up idolizing Djokovic.
The Serbian invited him to a practice session after the 2022 Australian Open, when Mensik was still a junior. In his emotional victory speech, Mensik credited Djokovic as the inspiration behind his tennis journey.
“He’s the reason I am here,” Mensik said.
The win nearly didn’t happen. Mensik revealed that just an hour before his first-round match, he was considering withdrawing due to a knee injury.
“I was holding the paper to pull out from the tournament,” he shared. “I was just lucky that the referee was having lunch. I came for treatment, and my physio did a miracle. Because of him, I'm standing here.”