Subsequent Gen ATP Finals
Set to take flight in Jeddah, Mensik remembers childhood airport mishap
Czech primed for Jeddah debut
December 17, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Jakub Mensik opens his Jeddah marketing campaign Wednesday towards Learner Tien.
By ATP Employees
Jakub Mensik earned his debut on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF with a breakout season that included 4 High 10 wins. Considered one of 4 Jeddah rivals contained in the High 50 of the PIF ATP Rankings — alongside Arthur Fils, Alex Michelsen and Shang Juncheng — Mensik knew earlier than the 2024 season began that he wished to finish it on the 20-and-under showcase occasion.
“It was one in every of my largest targets to succeed in this occasion earlier than the season,” he stated this week. “I am glad to be right here. To this point it is wonderful, the amenities and every part that they did for us. You possibly can really feel actually that you simply’re probably the greatest youthful gamers on this planet.”
All through his rise, Mensik has at all times been capable of depend on the unwavering help of his mother and father, Michal and Katerina. Each his mother and father are in Jeddah, they usually have usually travelled with Mensik since his junior tennis days.
The household are frequent flyers now, however they recalled an airport mishap years in the past, lengthy earlier than Mensik grew accustomed to the nomadic life. When he was 9, the household was ready at baggage declare when Mensik grew to become distracted by a cat. After going over to analyze, he misplaced observe of his mother and father, who left the bags space earlier than realising their son had gone lacking.
Mensik remembers a scary wait till his father returned: “From nowhere, my dad appeared after 30, 45 minutes, and every part was good,” he stated with fun.
It is going to be arduous to lose sight of Mensik this week as he competes underneath the highlight of the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF.
Whereas Mensik exceeded all outdoors expectations this 12 months on the ATP Tour, the 19-year-old isn’t placing himself underneath any undue stress in Jeddah. Because the third seed, he’ll open his marketing campaign towards Learner Tien on Wednesday.
“I by no means have expectations,” he defined. “Clearly simply to take pleasure in this stunning event. After all I might be completely satisfied to win a few matches and naturally I am going right here to win it.”
Mensik took an identical strategy at his first ATP Tour event this February in Doha, the place he beat Andrey Rublev en path to the ultimate. He additionally beat Rublev on his option to the quarter-finals on the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the place he pushed his idol Novak Djokovic to a few units. Mensik lists these two weeks because the highlights of his 12 months, together with representing Czechia on the Olympics and Davis Cup.
He’ll hope to finish his 2024 marketing campaign with one other week to recollect in Jeddah.
