Australian Open, Qatar, Djokovic: Everything you ever wanted to know about Jakub Mensik (but never had time to find out) – updated after Indian Wells wildcard

Jakub Mensik is making a name for himself as he rises up the rankings and impresses on the ATP Tour. Find out more about him

Jakub Mensik at the 2024 Australian Open (Zuma/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

March 6, 2024

Who is Jakub Mensik?

Jakub Mensik is a professional tennis player from Czechia.

What is Jakub Mensik’s date of birth?

Jakub Mensik was born on 1st September 2005.

What DID Jakub Mensik achieve at the 2024 Qatar Open?

Jakub Mensik beat fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round of the 2024 Qatar Open, 7-6 (3), 6-4, and followed that by beating former world No 1 Andy Murray in the second round, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4).

He then stunned top seed Andrey Rublev 6-4, 7-6 (6) to reach his first-ever ATP Tour semi-final, where he beat Gael Monfils 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. However, he lost to Karen Khachanov 7-6 (12), 6-4 in the final.

Mensik then backed up this performance with a win over Borna Coric in Dubai, before withdrawing from his second-round match against Davidovich Fokina.

His performances in the Middle-East swing earned Mensik a surprise wildcard for Indian Wells the following month.

What did Jakub Mensik do at the 2024 Australian Open?

Jakub Mensik came through qualifying to reach the second round of the 2024 Australian Open, beating former Top 10 player Denis Shapovalov in the first round.

What did Jakub Mensik do at the 2023 US Open?

In his Grand Slam main-draw debut, Mensik reached the third round of the 2023 US Open, where he lost in three sets to Taylor Fritz.

Is Jakub Mensik still at school?

Jakub Mensik is completing his final year of school in 2024. He told the ATP website that he was studying remotely while travelling to tournaments.

“I’m finishing high school this year. I hope that I will finish that and then I can fully focus on tennis without studying,” Mensik said. “Right now I have to take my books to different tournaments because I have my finals exams in three months. I will graduate this year. I am studying Czech language, English, so I think interviews will become easier for me! Then I have the sports theory and management and geography.

“Of course, when I was younger, I was thinking about going to college. But right now, I think that if I do really well, then I think I will continue to focus on playing on the ATP Tour.”

Was Jakub Mensik a good junior?

Jakub Mensik was a good junior, reaching the final of the boys’ singles at the Australian Open in 2022.

How tall is Jakub Mensik?

According to his official ATP profile, Jakub Mensik is 193cm tall (six feet and four inches).

Who is Jakub Mensik’s coach?

Jakub Mensik’s coach is Tomas Josefus, a former player from Czechia.

Who is Jakub Mensik’s idol?

Mensik says Novak Djokovic is his biggest inspiration and the reason he took up the sport.

“It was after 2022, Australian Open finals. He knew that he was my biggest idol, so he invited me to Belgrade and then after to Montenegro to spend some days with him practicing, you know, doing all the stuff off the court also. It’s really nice that one of the best players in history invited me and I had that opportunity to play against him, to practice with him. So all of these experiences and advice for the future and for matches are just really good.”

“It was not that one advice. You know, it was the complex of the little things, what he’s doing different off the court, on the court. So for me, I was just watching him and, you know, trying to analyse his routines and everything.” “It’s not just because he gave me some advice like ‘you have to do like this, you have to do like this.’ It’s just trying to put all these little things in my game and in my career. Because of him, I started to play tennis. He’s my biggest idol. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here,” Mensik told the ATP Tour website.