Mensik reflects on 'hype' from Sinner win as he pushes toward Top 10 debut
Jakub Mensik continues to make thunderous statements at the top of the ATP Tour, and his stunning win over Jannik Sinner in Doha was the loudest yet as the 20-year-old charges toward a Top 10 debut.
After producing the biggest win of his career over World No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the Doha quarter-finals last week, Mensik is already back in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, looking to build further momentum in another ATP 500 test. The scale of his Doha triumph against Sinner, and what it means for his trajectory, is still sinking in.
“The big hype — not just for me but for all the people — was that match against Jannik,” Mensik told ATP Media in Dubai, reflecting on his 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 over Sinner. “It was one of the greatest matches in my young career. I really found myself well on the court.
“Beating Jannik and basically being at the same level as him showed me a lot and showed me that I’m going the right way.”
With his run to the semi-finals in Doha, where he was eventually halted by Arthur Fils, Mensik rose to a career-high No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The result underlined what has already been an eye-catching start to the season , during which he won his second ATP Tour title in Auckland in January.
Doha, in particular, holds special meaning. In 2024, it marked his first ATP Tour main-draw appearance, and he surged all the way to the final before returning two years later to score the biggest win of his career in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Sinner.
“Last week was quite a week for me,” Mensik said. “Reaching the semis, a lot of great matches… Obviously a tough loss but overall a good week for me. I came back to Doha [for the first time] since 2024, when it was my first [ATP] tournament. I had really nice memories and I had a great time.
“Overall I am happy with the performance that I showed and that my game is going higher and higher.”
Watch Mensik shock Sinner in Doha QFs:
At the Australian Open in January, Mensik was forced to withdraw ahead of a popcorn fourth-round meeting with Novak Djokovic due to injury. The Czech, who famously defeated Djokovic in the Miami final last year, stepped away for two weeks before returning to Doha refreshed and refocused — a move he believes is already paying dividends.
“After the Australian Open, I realised that I have to do everything as best as possible for my health,” said Mensik. “I took some days off and I started to miss tennis a little bit, but this break helped me a lot to renew my energy and to prepare well. These breaks between the tournaments, for me, it’s the best thing to happen because I can then show my best tennis.”
A competitor at the Next Gen ATP Finals in 2024, Mensik has long been regarded as one of the brightest prospects on Tour. In Dubai, he is seeded for a potential quarter-final clash with Alexander Bublik and hopes to build momentum in his push for a maiden Top 10 berth.
With his title defence looming at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami — where he will be defending valuable ranking points — a strong run this week would further strengthen his position as he targets another leap forward.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]