Novak Djokovic was denied his 100th tour level title at the Miami Open as teenager Jakub Mensik secured a surprising straight set victory.
The 19-year-old, who had previously trained at Djokovic’s tennis club in Belgrade, claimed a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) victory to become the second youngest winner in Miami.
Carlos Alcaraz, who won the tournament in 2022 at 18, is the only man to win the title at a younger age than Czechia’s Mensik.
Mensik had lost his only previous meeting with Djokovic, at the Shanghai Masters in 2024, and revealed that there was ‘no harder task in tennis’ than to beat the prolific Serb in the final of a tournament.
“You’re [Djokovic] the one I idolised when I was young. I started playing tennis because of you,” he said on court following his victory.
“But of course I felt really great and it’s my time, so I just tried to focus on the match like I did before in previous rounds.”
He added that he hopes his triumph in Miami is just the start and that he is ‘hungry’ to add more titles to his tally.
Mensik said: “I’m still 19, so I have all of my career in front of me. It feels great to have this (trophy) next to me, but it’s not just about the one title, one tournament. I’m hungry for more.”
Novak Djokovic struggled to find any rhythm in the final allowing Jakub Mensik to claim a straight sets victory (AP)
Djokovic had a ‘weird day’ during his loss to Mensik in the Miami Open final (AP)
The teenager earned his win the hard way with victories over world number four Taylor Fritz in the semi-final and Indian Wells champion Jack Draper before setting up the clash with Djokovic.
After a six-hour delay to the start of the match due to rain, Mensik broke the Serb in his opening service game, but Djokovic levelled by winning the only break point Mensik faced in the match to force a tie break.
The 37-year-old then lost the first five points in the tie break as he struggled for rhythm especially against Mensik’s powerful serve.
The match continued in much the same way, though Djokovic fought well from the back of court, but the accuracy and speed of Mensik’s serve meant he had enough control to take the second set in another tie break.
Mensik (right) defeated Djokovic at the Miami Open to deny the Serb a 100th tour title (Getty Images)
Mensik became the second youngest champion at the Miami Open (EPA)
The defeat left Djokovic without a title on tour since the ATP Finals in 2023 with his only success coming at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Djokovic congratulated his opponent on an ‘unbelievable tournament’ and acknowledged that Mensik had clinched the ‘clutch moments’.
He said: “In the clutch moments, you delivered the goods [with] unbelievable serving and just a phenomenal effort mentally as well to stay tough in a difficult moment.
“It’s unfortunate for me. Two tiebreaks, weird match, weird day with the rain delay and all the things that were happening.
“I didn’t feel my greatest on court, but it is what it is. Nothing to take away from his victory.”
