Jakub Mensik survived cramps that saw him pushed away in a wheelchair less than a week ago, then surged through the French Open to beat Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The 20-year-old Czech is now into the semifinals, where he will
PARIS — Less than a week ago, Jakub Mensik was pushed away from the court in a wheelchair after collapsing to the clay with cramps.
On Tuesday, the 20-year-old Czech was back under the lights at Roland Garros, finishing off Brazil’s Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3) to reach the semifinals.
Mensik used an attacking game to end Fonseca’s run in the quarterfinals, sealing the win with a brutal display at the net. He won 13 of 15 serve-and-volley points to Fonseca’s one try — an assault that stood in sharp contrast to the physical struggle he endured earlier in the tournament.
It was Mensik’s most convincing performance so far in Paris after he spent the opening week fighting through the heat wave. After edging Mariano Navone in the second round via a fifth-set tiebreaker, he fell to the clay after match point. Navone walked over to check on him, and Mensik required medical attention on court. He was helped up, limped away, and was then pushed out in a wheelchair.
Two days later, the damage still looked visible. Mensik dropped the opening set 6-0 to Alex de Minaur, then tightened everything and won three straight sets to keep moving. After that match, Mensik explained how the recovery had to be more than just rest.
“After the cramps and super dehydrations, I needed to put as much fluids as I could inside of me,” Mensik said after beating De Minaur. “I came back strong enough to compete again on the highest level and in this these very cruel conditions.”
He wasn’t handed an easy path after that either. Mensik needed five sets to advance in the fourth round against Andrey Rublev, grinding out the right moments before finding his best rhythm against Fonseca.
On Tuesday, Mensik had a few dangerous lapses — he wasted six match points in the final game before Fonseca held serve — but he quickly took control once the tiebreaker arrived, winning it cleanly.
“It was one of my best performances so far,” Mensik said.
In the other half of the draw. Fonseca’s shock progress through the tournament offered context for what Mensik had to overcome. The 19-year-old Brazilian had beaten 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in five sets in the third round. then eliminated two-time runner-up Casper Ruud in the fourth round.
For Mensik, the reward is a semifinals matchup against second-seeded Alexander Zverev. Zverev reached the last four after eliminating rising Spanish player Rafael Jodar 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-3.
Mensik’s climb has been dramatic enough on its own, but the timing makes it stranger — and louder. The clay collapse and the wheelchair came only days before he was serving and charging against Fonseca, turning what could have been a setback into fuel.
His career record suggests he’s still building his clay résumé. Mensik has won just two titles, and neither came on clay. He beat Djokovic in straight sets in the final of the Miami Open last year for his first title. His second title came earlier this year in Auckland, New Zealand, also on hard courts.
Even the emotion around Tuesday’s match carried a human touch. During Mensik’s post-match on-court interview, his mom, Katerina Mensikova, created a heart shape with her fingers as she watched from the stands, drawing a chuckle from her son.
After the marathon swings and the late nerves, Mensik said the final stretch tested him more than the scoreline suggests.
“The last 20-30 minutes of the match it was just really insane,” Mensik said. “I’m happy I managed to stay mentally focused and calm.”
Jakub Mensik French Open Roland Garros Joao Fonseca Alexander Zverev Rafael Jodar Alex de Minaur Andrey Rublev Mariano Navone Novak Djokovic Casper Ruud Miami Open Auckland title
Wheelchair to semi-finals… tennis is wild.
So he collapsed from cramps and dehydration and then just… handled it? Sounds like a miracle or they’re hiding the real story. Heat wave at French Open always seems dangerous.
Wait, he beat that Brazilian 6-4 6-3 7-6 and also got shoved in a wheelchair like a week ago? That’s actually insane. But I don’t get how you go from 6-0 loss to Alex de Minaur to crushing everybody. Like what changed, the racket? the clay? the weather?
Heat wave French Open + cramps = they should postpone it every time. Also the article says he needed fluids as much as possible, but isn’t dehydrating still a choice? Not blaming him, just seems like officials should be more responsible. Either way, hope he doesn’t reinjure himself in the semis.