Jakub Mensik grew up idolizing Novak Djokovic, but at the Miami Open on Sunday night, he dealt his idol a first-of-its-kind defeat.
The 19-year-old Czech pulled off a 7-6 (4), 7-6(4) victory in the final of the Masters 1000 event to become the first teenager ever to defeat Djokovic in straight sets in a completed tour-level match.
He’s the fifth overall teenager to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 in a tour-level match, but the other four who did it either needed three sets to do it or won via retirement.
TEENAGERS TO DEFEAT DJOKOVIC (tour-level):
- 18y/2m/10d: Filip Krajinovic [6-4 ret. in 2010 Belgrade QFs]
- 19y/0m/2d: Carlos Alcaraz [6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5) in 2022 Madrid SFs]
- 19y/6m/8d: Holger Rune [3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in 2022 Paris F]
- 19y/6m/29d: Jakub Mensik [7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) in 2025 Miami F]
- 19y/11m/28d: Stefanos Tsitsipas [6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in 2018 Canada 3rd Rd]
More to come…
