Miami

Mensik accelerates past Fils in Miami to break new ground

Jakub Mensik showed few nerves en route to an ATP Masters 1000 milestone on Thursday at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The #NextGenATP Czech ended the inspired run of Arthur Fils with a 7-6(5), 6-1 quarter-final victory at Hard Rock Stadium. In doing so, the 19-year-old Mensik advanced to the last four at a Masters 1000 event for the first time.

“It feels incredible. I think the biggest result so far in my career, so I’m glad I just kept going since the first round,” said Mensik. “That’s the key, to keep the focus during the two weeks, because it’s always tough… The job is not done.”

BREAKTHROUGH 🤘

For the first time in his career, @mensik_jakub_ reaches a Masters 1000 semi-final!@MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/wmLOANS5DL

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 27, 2025

In the youngest Masters 1000 quarter-final since Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune met at the 2022 Rolex Paris Masters, the 19-year-old Mensik capitalised on a weary performance from 20-year-old Fils. The Frenchman had earned epic three-set wins against Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Zverev in his previous two matches, but was unable to rouse the sort of inspired shotmaking he produced in those victories.

Despite letting slip an early 4-1 lead and then falling to 5-5, 15/40 on his serve, Mensik steadied himself to claim the opening set in a tie-break in which he won six of the final eight points. He carried that momentum into the second set in style, racing to his 75-minute triumph having struck 26 winners, including 13 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The first Czech man to reach a Miami semi-final since Tomas Berdych in 2015, Mensik will take on third seed Taylor Fritz or 29th seed Matteo Berrettini in the last four. It will be another significant moment in the young career of Mensik, who has risen 20 spots to No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings as a result of his run in South Florida so far.

“Before every season I set my goals that I want to reach during the season,” said Mensik, who has also overtaken Joao Fonseca to lead the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah as he seeks a second consecutive appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. “I have an incredible team. All of them are doing a great job, which is the key always. After great weeks, after worse weeks, we still are working so hard, and it’s paying off.”