Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca reminded fans that the future of tennis is in good shape on Tuesday at Roland Garros, where 20-year-old Mensik overcame 19-year-old Fonseca to reach the semi-finals.
In a dramatic conclusion, Mensik recovered from failing to convert six match points on Fonseca’s serve at 5-6 in the third set, eventually triumphing in the tie-break. Afterward, the Czech star reflected on the pair’s night-session battle.
“I would say [it was] tough and so much was expected from both of us, from the audience and from everyone. I'm super happy with the performance overall. I mean, 20, 30 minutes of the match, it was just a really insane level from both of us and at key moments,” Mensik said in his post-match press conference.
“Even after those match points when I didn't manage to take them, when I was 6-5 up, I'm happy that I stayed mentally focused and calm and managed to level up my game in the tie-break and be the one who managed to take it.”
Mensik had twice trailed by a break in the third set but then led 6-5. Fonseca fended off six match points in a gruelling 12th game, including one after Mensik misfired on a smash, to extend the clash.
Despite the setback, Mensik quickly reset for the tie-break.
“I was more focusing on my game, on my performance, and just on myself,” Mensik said when asked how he quickly refocused. “At the time even if the crowd erupts, I couldn't hear anything. I was that much in the zone and so focused that actually I was just focusing on every other point.”
Mensik battled past Mariano Navone and Andrey Rublev in five sets earlier this fortnight and also defeated Top 10 star Alex de Minaur. The 20-year-old, who was competing in his first major quarter-final, had some discomfort in his left leg during his clash with Fonseca but was able to shake off the issue.
“Unfortunately, at the end of the second set I started to feel some discomfort in my left leg, which was irritating me during the serve,” Mensik said. “I was afraid of what [it was]. Fortunately, it was just a tight muscle. Because of that, I dropped my focus a little bit. So that's why at the beginning of the third set was not how I wanted.
“But as the match and as the third set was going through and it was getting more intense, the pain started to drop down a little bit. I started to not feel the pain at all, which obviously I'm super happy that it's nothing serious.”
Mensik will need to be fully firing if he is to overcome Alexander Zverev in Friday’s semi-final. Zverev has lost just one set so far in the French capital and leads Mensik 1-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, having recently defeated the No. 27 player in the PIF ATP Rankings on clay in Madrid.
Mensik is ready for the challenge against the second seed and three-time major finalist.
“As the tournament is going, I'm playing better and better,” Mensik said. “Even with the match with Sascha in Madrid, of course, it was a close one. It was best of three. Right now, it's a different situation, semi-finals. I would say a bigger match, best of five. I'm excited for the challenge.”
Did You Know?
Mensik, 20, is the youngest Czech man in history to reach the semi-finals of a major and is the first man born in 2004 or later to advance to the last four at a Slam.
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