Griekspoor regains his spark in Dubai: Dutchman stuns Mensik to end a half-year slump
Tallon Griekspoor converted 100% of his break point opportunities to stun sixth seed Jakub Mensik (6-3, 3-6, 6-2) and secure a surprise semifinal spot at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Tallon Griekspoor, 2025 | © Imago / PsNewz
Tallon Griekspoor emerged as the “surprising guest” of the Dubai semifinals on Thursday night, delivering a cool, calm, and collected 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory to derail the high-flying Jakub Mensik.
The victory marks a massive emotional and professional breakthrough for the 29-year-old Dutchman. While the scoreline reflects a hard-fought battle, the true story lies in Griekspoor’s clinical efficiency under pressure. In a match lasting exactly 1 hour and 43 minutes, Griekspoor faced three break points and converted all three—a 100% conversion rate that proved to be the difference against the powerful Czech teenager.
A long-awaited revivalThis semifinal run comes as a significant relief for Griekspoor, who has endured a notoriously difficult period since his triumph at the Mallorca Championships in June 2025. Since lifting that trophy on the grass of Spain, the world No. 25 had struggled to find any consistency, suffering a string of early exits that threatened to stall his career.
His post-Mallorca slump included:
- Grand Slam Struggles: Opening-round exits at Wimbledon (to Jenson Brooksby) and the US Open (to Adrian Mannarino).
- Masters 1000 Woes: Early departures in Toronto, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris, failing to win consecutive matches at the elite level for months.
- Early 2026 Form: A disappointing straight-sets loss to world No. 80 Ethan Quinn in the first round of the Australian Open.
In Dubai, however, that “cool, calm, and collected” persona has returned. Griekspoor has navigated a treacherous path to the final four, ousting second seed Alexander Bublik and Otto Virtanen before halting Mensik’s momentum.
The Quarterfinal Round-Up
Griekspoor’s upset of the No. 6 seed completes a star-studded semifinal lineup in the desert. The quarterfinal stage saw the tournament’s heavyweights flex their muscles:
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (1) def. Jiri Lehecka (8) 6-3, 7-6
- Daniil Medvedev (3) def. Jenson Brooksby 6-2, 6-1
- Andrey Rublev (5) def. Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 6-4
- Tallon Griekspoor def. Jakub Mensik (6) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
Griekspoor now faces a daunting task against the fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev for a place in the final. Rublev has been in devastating form this week, but given the Dutchman’s renewed clinical edge on break points, the “surprising guest” may yet have another upset in store.
