Novak Djokovic Denied 100th Career Title By 19-Year-Old Prodigy In Miami Final
NewsMonday, 31 March 2025 at 09:50
Novak Djokovic was very close to winning his 100th career title at the 2025 Miami Open, but he ultimately couldn't make the last step.
Djokovic played a great event. He got into the final without losing a set. But his final opponent, Jakub Mensik, was having a very good tournament as well. The Czech teenager bested the likes of Jack Draper and Taylor Fritz to reach the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Prior to the final, Djokovic appeared with his right eye swollen, and it was not clear whether that injury would somehow impact his performance in the final match.
Although the Serbian player was broken already in his first service game, it didn't seem that the eye injury would have any impact. On the contrary, Mensik played great tennis, jumping out into a needed lead.
But Djokovic was able to break back. Down 1-4, the 37-year-old won three games in a row to make it 4-4. Both players then held their serves without too many issues, so a tie-break had to decide the first set of this match.
Mensik served really well in the tie-break. His opponent, on the other hand, made a few mistakes, which is why the teenager led 5-0 after the first five points. Djokovic then got one mini-break back, but it was not enough, as he lost the tie-break 4-7.
The Czech teenager was the first one to have break points also in the second set. He had two chances at 2-2, but they remained unused. Djokovic, on the other hand, never got to break points.
But the six-time Miami Open champion easily held his serve after that, which is why the second set was also decided in a tie-break. Mensik was the better player once again, winning the tie-break and the match 7-6(4), 7-6(4), to lift his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title.
Djokovic, on the other hand, was denied a chance to lift his 100th career title and break Roger Federer's record for the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion.
For Mensik, it was a great win, especially since he beat his childhood hero in the final. It was a great win for the 19-year-old player, who struggled to understand what he achieved even minutes after the match.
"It means a lot. The feelings will come a little bit later, but even now, I'm starting to realize that it was incredible all week, all two weeks, actually. My game was getting better and better. Actually, winning tonight against Novak in the tiebreakers, it feels crazy, incredible."
"I was watching him growing up. Because of him, basically, I started to play tennis. So it just feels incredible that I had the opportunity for a second time to play against him. And to beat him in this tournament in the finals, which I really, it was just a dream to win an ATP tournament, and even better that it's 1000 (smiling). Yeah, playing against Novak in the finals makes it more special."
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