"I didn’t wash my hand" - Jakub Mensik reveals how meeting Lionel Messi was the "key" to beating Taylor Fritz in Miami Open SF
Jakub Mensik registered a surprising win over third seed Taylor Fritz to reach his maiden Masters 1000 final at the ongoing Miami Open. The 19-year-old revealed that meeting soccer icon Lionel Messi proved crucial in beating the American.
Mensik, who is currenntly 54th in the ATP rankings, took the lead in the match by clinching a tightly-fought opening set 7-6(4). However, Fritz bounced back in the second set and won it 6-4 to force the match in the decider. Both players did well in the third set to push it to a tiebreak, which Mensik won to register a 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4) victory and reach his second singles final on the ATP Tour.
The Czech had an opportunity to meet Lionel Messi and shake the Argentine's hand before the match, something he later said was "key" in his win.
“Yeah exactly. I shook his hand. I was kind of chilling with him a bit so I didn’t wash my hand before stepping on court. That was the key for today," Mensik said in his post-match on-court interview.
Following the win, Mensik also signed the camera to thank Messi. He wrote:
"Thx Leo"
Although Fritz hit more baseline winners than Mensik (20-15), his 20 unforced errors cost him the match. While the Czech won 82% of the first serve points, Fritz won 80%.
Jakub Mensik reflected on his Miami Open SF performance and shared his excitement before facing Novak Djokovic
Speaking after the match, Jakub Mensik reflected on his performance, noting that the tiebreaks were crucial for him. He also praised Taylor Fritz for not allowing him to break him.
"The return was tough today. We were serving really great today so he didn’t give me an opportunity to break him. It was just the tie-breaks for me that was the decider. I came to show my best performance in the tie-breaks," Mensik said.
Mensik will face 24-time Grand Slam champion and his idol, Novak Djokovic, in the final. Their previous encounter took place last year in Shanghai, where the Serb prevailed. But this time, the 19-year-old feels confident and excited going ahead.
“It feels incredible. For me it was a dream to play against him in Shanghai. For now it’s a bit different. I am a better player now and I’m going to enjoy and it’s going to be really exciting. Let’s see what’s going to happen Sunday,” he said.
Djokovic and Mensik will both be chasing milestones when they lock horns in the Miami Open final. The Serb will aim to win his 100th ATP singles title while the Czech will attempt to win his very first.