Jakub Mensik reveals Novak Djokovic support before Alexander Zverev semi-final at Roland Garros
Jakub Mensik has revealed that he has received support from Novak Djokovic ahead of his French Open semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev.
The Czech will take on Zverev — the No 2 seed and Roland Garros title favourite — in what will be his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final.
Zverev won the pair’s only previous match 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 in the fourth round at the Madrid Open in April.
World No 27 Mensik delivered a superb display to beat Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) in the quarter-finals in Paris on Tuesday.
Mensik has also defeated Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur, Mariano Navone and Titouan Droguet during his run at the clay-court major.
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The 20-year-old has divulged that 24-time Grand Slam winning-legend Novak Djokovic is his idol.
Speaking in the TNT Sports studio after beating Fonseca, Mensik was asked if Djokovic had given him any words of encouragement before the semi-finals.
“Yeah he did, after [the] Rublev match and after [the] Fonseca match,” said Mensik.
“Yeah, I mean, Novak is a great guy, great champion. We have a great relationship together, so I’m happy that he’s following the results and that we could stay connected at least in this way.”
In his press conference after reaching the semi-finals, Mensik recalled the first time he met the great Serb.
“The relationship that we had and we are having with Novak, it’s so special and I’m super thankful for that,” he said.
“Basically the time when I was still not even starting on ATP Tour, I was still a junior, he invited me [to train]. He saw some potential in me.
“Yeah, at the time, it was really, really amazing experience. Of course, at the time I had a bad movement.
“I was not still able to play on the Grand Slam. So at the time, it was more about getting to know the tour and how the things works.
“Actually, as I went through and having the experience on the Grand Slams, that was probably the key moment for me to take those experiences and to manage to come and to play on the Grand Slams how I’m playing.”
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