Kid against the G.O.A.T. in Miami Open final

By Harvey Fialkov

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jakub Mensik was 10 months old when Novak Djokovic won his first of 99 titles and one-year-old when the 37-year-old Serb won his first of six Miami Open titles, thus tying Andre Agassi for the most by a male.

But on Sunday, the stronger, taller, more powerful server is the 6-foot-4 Czech teen with a booming 135-mph serve that is already considered one of the best in tennis today, along with Reilly Opelka and Ben Shelton.

Mensik, 19, is one of the youngest players to make it into a Masters 1000 final. He also reached the final at Doha last year. Djokovic is the oldest player ever to be in a Masters 1000 final, but it’s his 142^nd tour-level final and 60^th Masters final which he has won a record 40 times.

While Djokovic hasn’t faced an opponent ranked less than Grigor Dimitrov’s No. 15, Mensik has mowed down No. 7 Jack Draper, the young Brit coming off his most significant title at Indian Wells a few weeks ago; former Top 10er Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 18 Arthur Fils, fellow Next Gen star; and the top-ranked American Taylor Fritz, who will remain at No. 4 after his semifinal run.

Mensik slammed 25 aces against Fritz, who lost despite never dropping serve. Fritz called Mensik’s spot serving, “insane.’’ In his five matches (walkover over Tomas Machac), Mensik has totaled 97 aces while being broken just four times.

Djokovic, who is more about placement than power on his (115-mph) serves, has averaged an incredible 85 percent of first serves in his last two matches. He has dropped serve just four times in five matches while facing just seven break points along with banging 36 aces.

The two have practiced together and in their only meeting, Djokovic squeaked out a 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4 victory on a hard court in the quarterfinals at the Shanghai Masters 1000 last September.

“I really wanted to find the best game that I can play from myself in this tournament, which I did, and put myself in a great position to win the title,’’ Djokovic said Friday before Mensik defeated Fritz in three tight sets. “Against both players I have a positive score, head-to-head, which doesn’t necessarily win the match on Sunday, but it’s good to know that.

“I’m going to focus on my game. I know what I need to do tactically against both of the guys. But my goal is to be able to play on a high level as I have, particularly in the last couple matches. That’s going to put me in a very good position.”

Earlier in the tournament Djokovic sang the praise of Mensik, saying that although Brazilian teen prodigy Joao Fonseca was getting most of the adulation from the fans and media, that Mensik is in the same skill class.

Mensik said he was awestruck when he played Djokovic in Shanghai because he was one of his heroes growing up in a small town Prostejov in Czechia. But come Sunday, he’s all business.

“I was kind of nervous,’’ he said in his deep monotone voice. “I’m not saying that I would be not on Sunday. … I was not able to hold my nerves very well in the match, which I think came a few months when I just grew up a little mentally.

“I feel that the conditions and everything here suits me very well. I feel really comfortable on the court. So, I’m going there on Sunday to win. No doubt on that.

“In Shanghai, I was just trying of course. I’m going to enjoy as well, but in Shanghai I was more enjoy and to take the experiences. Right now. I’m here to win.”

Mensik is 7-5 against Top 10 players.

After coming off three straight losses for the first time in seven years before the tournament, Djokovic is just as hungry as his teenage opponent. He wants to prove to himself and the tennis pundits that he can still compete for the most significant titles in the sport.

He’s hoping to join Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors in the century club, as he would be just nine behind Connors for the all-time record of 109. A victory would give him his seventh Miami title to surpass Andre Agassi. Other than his first Gold medal at last summer’s Olympics in Paris, the slender Serb hadn’t lifted an ATP Tour trophy since the Nitto ATP Finals in Italy in November 2023, a 16-month drought.

“Performances like this obviously, motivates me, encourages me to keep going,’’ Djokovic said.  “As long as that’s the case, I’ll still have that inspiration to chase the biggest titles and to challenge the best players in the world.”