Czech teenager Jakub Mensik produced a major breakthrough at the French Open by defeating 11th seed Andrey Rublev in a gruelling five-set battle on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The 20-year-old won 6-3, 7-6(8/6), 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the next round and set up a meeting with Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. The result marked an even stronger Grand Slam showing for Mensik, who had previously reached the fourth round in Melbourne earlier this year and won the Miami Open last season.
Mensik said the match was extremely difficult mentally as well as physically, adding that even when he led by two sets he sometimes felt as if he was slipping out of control. He said he was pleased to recover in the fifth set, regain momentum and finish the contest strongly. The victory came after 3 hours and 45 minutes of high-pressure tennis, with both players experiencing major swings in form.
Rublev started fast and moved ahead 3-0 in the opening set, but Mensik responded with a run of six straight games to take control and win the set 6-3. The second set was equally tense, with Mensik serving for it at 5-4 before Rublev broke back to stay alive. Mensik eventually edged the tie-break on his second chance, using a backhand winner to wrong-foot the Russian and move two sets ahead.
Rublev then fought back strongly. He broke Mensik in the first game of the third set and held serve throughout to claim it 6-4, then carried that momentum into the fourth. After a series of breaks in a serve-dominated stretch, Rublev steadied himself, held serve and broke again to build a 4-1 lead. That advantage proved enough to level the match as Mensik’s errors increased and the Russian forced a decider.
The final set swung back in Mensik’s favour. After both players struggled to hold serve at times, the Czech regained his rhythm and made the decisive break in the eighth game. From there, he served for the match confidently and closed it out with a powerful ace on his first match point. His aggression and resilience proved crucial in the closing stages as he overcame Rublev’s experience and pressure.
The win represents one of the biggest of Mensik’s young career and underlines his growing status on the ATP Tour. By beating a top-15 opponent in a long five-set contest at Roland Garros, he showed both physical endurance and composure in decisive moments. The result also adds to his rising reputation as one of the most promising young players in men’s tennis, while Rublev’s exit ends another run in Paris without a breakthrough at the French Open.
