The Miami Masters 1000 prove to be by far the best tournament of Jakub Mensik’s career to date.
It was a tournament that for him almost never started.
As the tennis world learned during Sunday’s trophy ceremony, Mensik almost withdrew from the event before he even played his first-round match. Dealing with a knee injury, the Czech explained that he was on his way to the referee’s office to officially pull out of Miami. However, the referee happened to be at lunch at the time–so Mensik first went to see the physio.
The rest, of course, is history.
Mensik went on two win the title, upsetting his idol, Novak Djokovic, 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in the championship match on Sunday night. It was the first ATP title of the 19-year-old’s career.
“Two days before the first match, I started to feel my knee,” Mensik reflected during his post-match press conference. “I checked with the doctors, with everyone. There was nothing spectacular; it was just a big inflammation, which was [so] big that I couldn’t walk even–that I couldn’t run, even walk.
“I started to treat it, started to take painkillers. Nothing was helping. Actually during the match day it was the same, like it was day before. I tried to step on the treadmill. I couldn’t move. I was, like, ‘Okay, well, that’s it. I’m pulling out.’ I was visiting the referees office to say, ‘Guys, I’m pulling out.’ But he was having lunch. So, okay, let’s visit the physios first. I was there. I said, ‘Hey, my knee is hurting.’ He started to do a couple of treatments, take care of me for 30 minutes. ‘Okay, try this, try this, let’s see.’ Actually he was [telling] me, ‘It’s nothing serious. You can play with this pain and nothing [will] happen.’
“The pain was so big that I couldn’t do anything. I was, like, ‘Okay, let’s try one more time.’ I stepped on the treadmill. It was the same. But I [handled] the pain. Really I was suffering in those moments. After (a) few minutes I was starting to feel little relief–took different painkillers, which helped a little bit. I was, like, ‘Okay, let’s try it.’ It’s like 30 minutes before the match. I can walk. I can run. Let’s see.
“Somehow I won the first round, and basically then I had one day off, which of course for my knee was much better. Day by day the knee was getting better, and with that also my game.
“Crazy, huh?”
It sure is crazy, and it would be an understatement to say that both his knee and his game got better as the fortnight progressed. Mensik played the best tennis of his career, beating the likes of Indian Wells champions Jack Draper (2025) and Taylor Fritz (2022) prior to defeating Djokovic.
“It just feels incredible,” Mensik assured. “I’m living the moment. Living the dream.”
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on Twitter at @Dimonator.