When his phone rang and he received a video message from Novak Dokovič from an unknown number, it was actually another piece of the puzzle. Jakub Menšík has also improved thanks to his idol’s tennis academy training, and the Czech super talent has become a world-class player. All that was missing for the story to be perfect was a sharp match with the Serbian star. It will be decided on Friday in the quarter-finals of the prestigious 1000 tournament in Shanghai. “It’s a childhood dream come true,” the Prostejov native tells iSport.cz.
At the age of sixteen, Jakub Menšík made himself known for the first time, at the end of the Australian Open junior final, although he could not stand properly due to cramps and exhaustion, he still fought and finished the match. This Czech youngster has extraordinary potential, Novak Djokovic also noticed and made a gesture that is not normally seen in a highly competitive tennis environment.
In his own tennis center, he showed Menšík his method of training from A to Z, they became friends, their schedule was full from morning to evening. “What was it like playing with him? It’s like if a footballer went to play with Ronaldo,” the fighter from Prostějov recalled some time ago.
An amazing experience and gained experience that cannot be replaced by anything. In two and a half years, Menšík has risen to the top, he is breaking through more and more often at important tournaments, he is already in the 51st position in the live ATP rankings. On Friday, he will have the match of his life and a premier showdown with his idol Djokovic.
“I’ve wanted it since I was a kid, when I was watching Novak on TV, but I honestly didn’t even think that I would still have this opportunity,” describes Menšík, who is 18 years younger. “I started to believe it after I got on the Tour and was already going around the same tournaments. I wished until the last moment that Novak would play, so that I could play at least one match against him,” he says.
While Djokovic’s star partners Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have vacated the ranks, the 37-year-old native of Belgrade is still competing with the elite. Gold from the Olympics added to the unique collection, which includes a record 24 Grand Slam trophies. Although he failed at the US Open, he has been in top form again in recent weeks. In Shanghai, he defeated three opponents without dropping a set, and the four-time winner of this tournament continues to strive for his 100th anniversary title on the ATP Tour.
“He’s been playing very well in Shanghai and in Asia in general throughout his career, so this year is no exception. It will be a tough nut to crack, more or less the hardest a tennis player can choose. But I’m in great shape,” reports Menšík confidently.
He beat four socks including favorites Andrei Rublev of Russia and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. He knows how to beat higher-ranked players, including the tournament in Madrid and Doha, he has a four-game winning streak against opponents from the top 10.
“I’m playing very well here and I’m happy that I managed to reach my first 1000 quarterfinals. It’s great that a head-to-head match with Djokovic can be at this tournament. I will enjoy it very much and look forward to it,” declares Menšík.
It is on Djokovic that he will be able to check how he has progressed since he trained with him. “I was still a junior, I was sixteen years old – I could train with him, that was a great experience for me. But at that moment I had nothing to play with him. Now I have a level that I am already in the same tournaments as him,” he says.
The camaraderie between the two players will understandably go by the wayside. “We are not in constant contact, but once in a while we either write or meet at tournaments and we always exchange a few words. We are great friends. I go into the match with a winning attitude. It will be hard work, but nothing is impossible,” he says determinedly.
Fun in the rain, applause from the fans
The program of the tournament in Shanghai was partially affected by the weather. Menšík went to a non-traditional training session with his Davis Cup partner Jiří Lehečka during the longer match break between the second and third rounds. In the rain.
“Jirka and I waited two and a half days for the next match. It was very difficult to get to the hall where the matches and other training sessions took place. I played in the hall one day, but it’s something completely different – a slightly faster surface, different acoustics and the player will recognize the difference, so we didn’t want to go to the hall anymore,” Menšík describes. “We already wanted to play outside at all costs, at least to hold a racket in our hands, so that you don’t fall out of it completely.”
The Czech tennis players amused the watching fans. “There were a lot of them, so we wanted to at least show ourselves there,” smiles Menšík.
