“If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here”

Jakub Mensik is one of the surprises that emerged from the ATP tournament in Doha. His latest surprising performance saw him win against the highly rated Andrey Rublev in two sets. His next challenge will be Gaël Monfils, a generational match that already ignites the passion of fans ready to enjoy this match.

A result that highlights the progress of the 19-year-old, who shared beautiful words for his idol Novak Djokovic. In a statement published by Express, the young rising star explained how important the Serbian champion was in the steps taken up to this point.

“My idol and my great inspiration is Djokovic. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. I was with him in 2022, after the Australian Open final. He knew he was my big idol, so he invited me to Belgrade and then Montenegro to spend a few days training with him, as well as spending time off the court,” he said.

Jakub Mensik shares a warm praise for is idol Novak Djokovic

“It’s incredible that one of the best players in history invited me and that I had the opportunity to play against him.

That experience and the advice I received were great for my future, they helped me a lot. It’s not that he gave me a single piece of advice: what struck me most was the complexity of the small details, everything he does differently both on and off the pitch.

I was trying to analyze his routine, his way of training,” he added.

Jakub Mensik, take a bow!!! 🤯@QatarTennis | #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/Hr0ejSCSkR — ATP Tour (@atptour) February 20, 2024

The ictories against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Andy Murray, as well as the Russian, guaranteed him a place in the top-100 ranking, becoming the youngest player to be part of it.

“What can I say! It’s just been an incredible week right from the start. I played very well, I knew I could fight with the best in the world. Reaching the semi-finals and beating these great players is an incredible feeling for me. I feel great,” he explained.