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Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, who pulled off a stunning victory against Novak Djokovic in the Miami Open final on Sunday, revealed that he nearly withdrew from the tournament before his first match due to severe knee pain.
Mensik, who won his first ATP Tour title with the victory, had filled out a withdrawal form before his match against Roberto Bautista Agut but was unable to hand it in because the referee was out for lunch.
“I was like, OK, well, let’s just visit the physios. I told them, ‘My knee is hurting, I filled out the paper, and I’m going,” Mensik told reporters.
After receiving treatment from the physios, he was advised to give it a go, and despite the agony, Mensik was able to play.
“The physio said, Let’s see, and he started to do a couple of treatments; he took care of it for like 30 minutes.
“It is nothing serious, and you can play with this pain, and nothing will happen,” he said.
Thanks to the referee’s lunch break, Mensik stayed in the tournament and went on to win the match, eventually claiming the title after defeating the likes of Jack Draper and Taylor Fritz.
Mensik’s victory marked a huge milestone in his career, and the 19-year-old has no intention of resting on his laurels.
“Of course, right now, it’s the biggest win of my career so far, and I’m just super happy with that, but I know that this is not the end; I know that this is just the beginning for me, and I’m still 19 years old, so I have all my career in front of me,” said Mensik, who now looks forward to further success.
