Jakub Mensik set for ATP Rankings breakthrough after stunning Jannik Sinner in Doha

Oli Dickson Jefford 20 Feb 2026 12:00 PM

Jakub Mensik during a match.

Jakub Mensik stunned Jannik Sinner to record one of the biggest wins of his career at the Qatar Open on Monday, and the rising star is set to be well-rewarded as a result.

World No 16 Mensik started strongly against world No 2 and four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner, taking the opening set, though his chances of victory looked over after the Italian responded emphatically in set two.

However, the Czech held firm and proved untouchable on serve in the decider, breaking Sinner’s resistance in a stunning 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 victory.

Mensik now holds an impressive 9-8 win-loss record in matches against top-10-ranked opponents, and the 20-year-old memorably beat three top-10 players on his way to the Miami Open title last March.

However, world No 2 Sinner is the highest-ranked opponent he has ever beaten, marking this as one of the biggest — if not the biggest — wins of his young career to date.

“Before the match, I knew about Jannik’s quality,” said Mensik.

“A great guy, a great champion. Already what he has done in his young career, it’s pretty impressive, so I knew it was going to be a tough one. But even with that thought, I came to the match to win it, and actually having a winning mindset.

“I served pretty good, even if the conditions were starting to get slower during the night. It was a very tough mental battle.

“After the second set, when I dropped my energy a little bit, I’m really happy that I came back after the toilet break and from the beginning of the third set, I just started to serve well again. I’m just happy with the performance I showed today.”

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Victory for the 20-year-old extends his hugely impressive start to 2026, having lifted his second ATP Tour title at the Auckland Open back in January.

Mensik also reached the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time at the Australian Open, though he was forced to pull out of his fourth-round match versus Novak Djokovic due to injury.

He will next face fellow rising star Arthur Fils in the semi-final, having also beaten the Frenchman during his run to the Miami Open title last year.

However, regardless of how he fares across the rest of his campaign in Doha, Mensik is set to break new ground in the ATP Rankings.

The Czech currently sits at his career-high of 16th in the ATP Rankings, though he is now in line to crack the top 15 for the very first time.

Provisionally, Mensik is up three places to world No 13 in the ATP Live Rankings, sitting on 2,595 ranking points as things stand.

No other player this week is capable of moving ahead of Mensik’s live points tally, meaning this breakthrough is guaranteed.

Should Mensik beat Fils to reach the final, he would have 2,725 points in the live rankings, while he would hold 2,895 points if he were to win the title.

Either a title or runner-up finish could see him reach a new career-high of world No 12, though that would be dependent on how Casper Ruud fares at the Delray Beach Open.

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