ROLAND GARROS. Men´s Siongles. By Leo Canaparo
Jakub Mensik delivered one of the most impressive performances of the tournament on Tuesday at Roland Garros, overpowering Joao Fonseca with a display of composure, precision and maturity far beyond his years. The 20-year-old Czech defeated the Brazilian 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach the first Grand Slam semifinal of his career.
What shocked the Parisian crowd was not only the level Mensik produced during the opening stages of the match, but also the calmness he maintained after letting six match points slip away in a dramatic third set. While many young players would have crumbled under the pressure, Mensik stayed emotionally balanced from start to finish.
For nearly an hour and a half, the Czech controlled the match completely. He captured the first two sets in just 87 minutes without facing a single break point on serve, dictating play with aggressive baseline tennis and remarkable consistency.
The third set, however, became a true mental test. Mensik found himself trailing 3-5 and even had to save a set point at 4-5 on Fonseca’s serve. Moments later, he earned six match points while returning at 6-5, only to see the Brazilian fight back and force a tiebreak.
Still, Mensik never lost his composure. In the decisive breaker, he elevated his level once again and closed out a victory that confirmed his arrival among the sport’s emerging elite.
“It was very difficult to stay focused until the end. I had a couple of match points… I’m happy that I managed to come back in the tiebreak and improve my game a little bit,” Mensik said during his on-court interview. “I’m super happy that I came back in the third set, where I was a couple of breaks down. I’m happy that I managed to stay focused and keep fighting until the end.”Said Mensik for ATP: