By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 27, 2025
19-year-old Jakub Mensik has been the most effective serve at this yr’s Miami Open, and the pattern continued on Thursday as he fired 13 aces and gained all however 5 of his first-serve factors in a 7-6(5), 6-1 win over 20-year-old Arthur Fils.
“It feels unimaginable. I believe the largest consequence thus far in my profession, so I’m glad I simply saved going because the first spherical,” mentioned Mensik on courtroom after his win. “That’s the important thing, to maintain the main focus through the two weeks, as a result of it’s all the time powerful… The job shouldn’t be completed.”
54th-ranked Mensik reaches his maiden Masters 1000 semifinal and turns into the fifth youngest participant to succeed in the ultimate 4 in Miami together with his win.
After I got here from juniors to the skilled degree, we did loads of work, simply serve plus one launch and every little thing, like workout routines,” Mensik mentioned on Thursday when requested about his serving prowess. “Wo we have been focusing lots on this sport model at first of my skilled profession. “In fact it is onerous work and loads of serves… proper now, in fact, through the match I really feel fairly assured, and it is my massive, massive weapon.”
Novak Djokovic had excessive reward for Mensik’s supply after he confronted him final yr in Shanghai.
“I might see at this time why he is among the greatest servers we now have within the sport,” the Grand Slam king mentioned. “He’s solely 19, the longer term may be very vibrant for him. He is aware of that I’m all the time there for him, no matter he wants.”
Mensik needed to work to get via a troublesome opening set in opposition to the person that eradicated top-seeed Alexander Zverev on Wednesday. Pegged again from a 4-1 lead he bought the job down in a tiebreak. He was additionally serving at 5-5 15-40 however managed to hammer down some massive serves to flee the difficulty.
Mensik, the primary Czech to succeed in the Miami semis since Tomas Berdych in 2015, will face both Matteo Berrettini or Taylor Fritz within the semifinals on Friday.
