Jakub Mensik superior to the third spherical of the Australian Open by beating world No. 6 Casper Ruud 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in Margaret Courtroom Enviornment on Wednesday.
It was the second occasion within the first 4 days of the event by which an adolescent defeated a top-10 opponent. Within the first spherical on Tuesday, 18-year-old Brazilian and fellow NextGen ATP Finals star Joao Fonseca knocked off world No. 9 Andrey Rublev 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-6(5). Mensik, 19, and Fonseca are the primary two teenagers to beat top-10 gamers on the similar Grand Slam since Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2006.
“All of the younger gamers who’re enjoying right here are attempting their greatest to achieve the identical stage, like Jannik and Carlos had been a couple of years in the past,” Mensik commented. “We are able to method it the identical and attempt to attain the identical stage, compete in opposition to them. It’s nice that there’s a new blood all the time. We are able to see that tennis is shifting on; we will see completely different or new names on the tournaments. For the followers, for the tennis, for every part, it’s actually nice.
“The timing of Subsequent Gen (in mid-December) helped us loads. All of us performed actually nice matches. Additionally within the tournaments earlier than [the Australian Open], we had been doing very well. That’s a very powerful factor firstly of the season to have the match depend and to return to the Grand Slam with matches performed.”
That was actually the case for Fonseca, who arrived in Melbourne on a 13-match profitable streak–together with a title on the NextGen, the place his match in opposition to Mensik went to 5 consecutive tiebreakers. Fonseca is now 9-0 this season and has not dropped a single set.
“Fonseca’s stage for 18 not to mention any age is just off the charts,” commentator Brad Gilbert stated after watching Fonseca beat Rublev. “His simple energy and composure [thumbs up emoji]. Proper now his stage is definitely high 10. I stated final month (he) would end (the season) high 25. Now (I’m) seeing year-end championships.”
As Gilbert’s phrases point out, the hype practice for Fonseca is off the charts. Possibly it ought to be for Mensik, as nicely.
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
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