Masterful in Rome and Closing in on Top-20

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday Could 12, 2025

Jakub Mensik hit the massive time in Miami in March, when he shocked his idol Novak Djokovic within the last to turn out to be the second youngest champion in match historical past. Because the tour has moved to the clay, he has continued to impress.

In Madrid, Mensik grew to become the fifth teenager to energy into the quarterfinals in that match historical past, and on the Foro Italico in Rome, the place the clay is slower and the circumstances much less appropriate to his attacking recreation, he has continued to thrive.

Wonderkid 🥵@mensik_jakub_ defeats Marozsan 6-4 7-6 to achieve the fourth spherical in Rome 🤌#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/Drgt6yUNMH

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) Could 12, 2025

Mensik powered previous Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 7-6(2) on Monday to turn out to be the primary Czech man to achieve the spherical of 16 at Rome since Tomas Berdych in 2017.

“To date the season goes fairly effectively, I’m fairly proud of every little thing. I’m enjoying good on the onerous courts, and my first couple of tournaments on the clay I’m doing fairly effectively, so I’m feeling effectively in every single place, that’s an important factor for me. I’m having fun with each second on the courtroom, enjoying these tournaments was at all times my dream so I’ll preserve dreaming – my objectives are excessive so let’s see what the subsequent chapter of the season brings.”

The highly effective teen is now 12-2 on the Masters 1000 occasions in 2025, and 19-6 total, which locations him in a tie with Pete Sampras and Lleyton Hewitt for many match wins in 1000-leve occasions as an adolescent. It’s an inventory he’ll proceed to climb till he turns 20 on September 1.

He’s additionally been clutch, utilizing his deadly serve to get out of robust moments. Mensik received all seven tiebreaks he performed throughout Miami and has received 11 of the final 12 tiebreaks he has performed at Masters 1000 occasions.

Talking of climbing, Mensik is now contained in the ATP’s Prime-20 within the reside rankings, and can seemingly make his Prime-20 debut after Rome. He’ll face Hubert Hurkacz for a spot within the quarterfinals subsequent.

He’s extra involved concerning the match than the rating.

“I’m not involved concerning the rating so I didn’t know earlier than the match and even after,” he stated. “It simply feels nice. I used to be discovering myself within the first match and within the first set of this match. The principle factor on this match is that I stayed targeted and stayed calm, trusting that I might discover a manner.”