Czech teenager Jakub Mensik upset Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) to win the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, denying the Serbian his 100th career title.
The 19 -year -old, ranked 54th in the world, won his first title on the ATP Tour with an exceptional powerful tennis exhibition.
The final was delayed by almost six hours due to heavy rains and when the players emerged, it was clear that Djokovic had an eye infection. He used eye drops when changing in the first set.
Mensik began to strongly break Djokovic’s first match to go 2-0 and the big Czech at high height dominated until the 4-2 Djokovic broke when Mensik found the net.
The whole remained in service from that moment, but in the powerful service of Tie-Break Mensik, with two aces, set it up from the start. He opened an advance of 5-0 and although the Grand Chelem champion 24 times Djokovic retaliated, the youngster sealed the whole with a volley above.
It was the first set that Djokovic had lost throughout the tournament. Twice, he lost his foot and found himself on his back, and he changed his shoes between the sets.
Mensik had beaten Djokovic by the same margin in the first set of their only other meeting in Shanghai before losing in three sets.
This time, however, the momentum seemed to be with him.
The second set was a matter of pinching and withdrawn, however, no player can break. Once again, the power of Mensik turned out to be decisive in equality and when Djokovic went for a long time when he returned to him, he fell behind his back to celebrate.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to say. It’s amazing, of course,” said Mensik in his interview on the field.
“It was probably the biggest day of my life and I did great, which I am really happy (about), to show the performance and keep the nerves outside the field before the match.
“I just feel super happy and I think the feelings will come later,” he said.
Mensik did not hide the fact that he grew up with Djokovic his idol and after receiving the trophy, he said that he had started his career in the hope of imitating the Serb.
“There is no more difficult task for a tennis player than to fight in the final of a tournament,” he said.
“I’m about sure that it was only the first of many,” added Mensik, before revealing that he had been close to withdraw from the tournament before his first match due to a knee injury before last -minute physiotherapy, the desired results.
Djokovic, who, after the match, refused to discuss the problem with his eye, paid tribute to the display of the Czech.
“It’s Jakub’s moment, a moment of his team, a moment of his family. Congratulations, incredible tournament. It hurts to admit it, but you were better. In a clutch moment, you delivered the goods,” he said.
“An incredible portion and just a mentally mental phenomenal effort to stay hard in a difficult moment. For a young player like you, it is excellent feature. Something that I am sure that you will use several times in the years to follow,” added Djokovic.
The match between Djokovic and Mensik, 37, was the biggest difference in age gap in a Masters 1000 final and the largest age gap of any final at the tour of the tour since 1976.
