Jakub Mensik reflects on the ‘hype’ after Jannik Sinner win, top 10 debut | ATP Tour
Player features
Mencic reflects on ‘hype’ of Sinner win as he moves towards top 10 in debut
The 20-year-old rises to a career-high world ranking of 13th after his biggest career win
February 24, 2026
Mohammad Farag/Getty Images
According to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Jakub Mensik has a 9-9 record against the top 10 players.
Jerome Coombe
Jakub Mensik continues to thunder on the ATP Tour, with his shock win over Jannik Sinner in Doha his loudest yet as the 20-year-old cracks the top ten for the first time.
Following his biggest career win in the Doha quarter-finals last week against world number two Jannik Sinner, Mensik has returned to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships looking to build further momentum in another ATP 500 test. The scale of his victory over Sinner in Doha, and what it meant for the trajectory of his life, is still being understood.
“The biggest hype – not just for me, but for everyone – was the match against Jannik,” Mencic told ATP Media in Dubai, reflecting on his 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 victory over Sinner. “It was one of the greatest games of my young career. I really found myself performing well on the pitch.
“Beating Janik and basically being on the same level as him showed me a lot and showed me that I was going the right way.”
Mencic reached the semi-finals in Doha, where he was eventually stopped by Arthur Fels, and his PIF ATP ranking rose to a career-high No. 13. The result highlighted a spectacular start to the season, during which he won his second ATP Tour title in Auckland in January.
Doha, in particular, has special significance. He made his first ATP Tour main draw appearance in 2024 and surged to the finals, returning two years later to score the biggest win of his career in his first Lexus ATP head-to-head meeting with Sinner.
“Last week was a huge week for me,” Mencic said. “Getting to the semi-finals, a lot of good games…Obviously a tough defeat, but overall a good week for me. I’m back in Doha [for the first time] This is my first time since 2024 [ATP] Contest. I have very good memories and I had a great time.
“Overall, I’m happy with my performance and the level of my game is getting better and better.”
Watch Mensik shock Sinner in Doha qualifying:
At the Australian Open in January, Mencic was forced to withdraw ahead of a popcorn fourth-round match with Novak Djokovic due to injury. The Czech, who beat Djokovic in the Miami final last year, took two weeks away before returning to Doha refreshed and refocused – a move he believes has paid off.
“After the Australian Open, I realized I had to do everything I could for my health,” Mencic said. “I had a few days off and started to miss tennis a little bit, but this break helped me a lot to regain my energy and get ready. These breaks between matches are the best thing for me because then I can show my best tennis.”
A competitor at the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals, Mencic has long been considered one of the top prospects on the tour. In Dubai, he was seeded for a potential quarterfinal matchup with Alexander Bublik and looked to build momentum for his first top-10 finish.
With his title defense looming at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami – where he will defend valuable ranking points – a strong performance this week will further cement his status as he aims to make another leap.
