Jakub Mensik is thru to his first Masters 1000 semi-final in Miami. The younger Czech ousted Arthur Fils 7-6, 6-1 in an hour and quarter-hour, changing into the primary participant from his nation within the Miami Open semi-final since Tomas Berdych in 2015.
Mensik claimed 14 factors greater than his rival, dropping the benefit within the opener earlier than prevailing in a tie break. The Czech took cost within the second set and sailed excessive. A youngster dominated together with his first serve and saved the second protected.
He saved two of three break factors and transformed 42% of the return factors into 4 breaks from seven alternatives.
Masterful Mensik 🙌
The second @mensik_jakub_ defeated Fils 7-6 6-1 to grow to be the fifth youngest semi-finalist in #MiamiOpen historical past. pic.twitter.com/84UYdmJudI
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 27, 2025
Jakub landed 26 winners and 23 unforced errors, whereas leaving his rival on a 19-19 ratio. The Czech solid a 27-10 benefit in service winners and stayed in contact together with his rival from the baseline. A youngster held at love within the first recreation of the encounter.
He created two break factors within the second recreation and welcomed the rival’s backhand error on the second for an early benefit. Fils saved a break level within the fourth recreation avoiding to fall two breaks behind. The Czech fired a booming serve within the fifth recreation and moved 4-1 in entrance.
Instantly, Jakub performed a unfastened service recreation at 4-2. He netted a forehand to expertise a break and convey his rival again to the constructive facet. Arthur supplied two wonderful holds and locked the outcome at 5-5 earlier than stepping in on the return in recreation 11.
Mensik saved them with highly effective serves and held with one other for 6-5. The set went right into a tie break after Fils’ maintain at love in recreation 12. The Czech missed a backhand within the fourth level and fell 3-1 behind. The Frenchman performed a unfastened forehand within the sixth level and misplaced the benefit.
Jakub attacked within the seventh level and drew the rival’s mistake for an additional mini-break and a 4-3 benefit. He fired two unreturned serves for 6-3 and three set factors. Fils denied two on his serve earlier than Mensik seized the third at 6-5 after the rival’s wayward forehand.
Thus, the Czech claimed the opener 7-6 in 50 minutes and gathered an enormous increase. Mensik kicked off the second set with a forehand return winner, securing an early break and shutting the second recreation with a forehand winner.
Arthur barely moved in that final level and confronted extra points in recreation three. The Frenchman netted a routine volley to expertise one other break and fall 3-0 behind. Jakub held at 15 within the fourth recreation with a service winner and landed one other two video games later for 5-1.
Mensik made one other push on the return in recreation seven, firing a forehand crosscourt winner for an additional break and a spot within the semi-final.
