Novak Djokovic loses Miami Open final to Jakub Mensik

Czech teenager Jakub Mensik stuns Novak Djokovic to claim his first ATP Tour title at the 2025 Miami Open.

Novak Djokovic during the Miami Open 2025 tennis tournament in Miami, USA, on March 30, 2025. Photo by Foto Olimpik/Nur

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Novak Djokovic failed to secure the 2025 Miami Open title after suffering a shocking defeat to 19-year-old Czech player Jakub Mensik in the final. The match, which was postponed due to rain on Sunday (March 30) local time or Monday morning WIB, ended with Mensik emerging victorious in straight sets, 7-6(4), 7-6(4).

According to the ATP website, Mensik not only overcame the six-time Miami Open champion but also battled through lengthy rain delays in Florida. With this win, he claimed his first ATP Tour title and became the second-youngest champion in tournament history, following Carlos Alcaraz, who won in 2022 at the age of 18.

"Honestly, I don't know what to say. It feels amazing, of course. This is probably the biggest day of my life. I performed really well and managed to stay calm before the match. I feel really happy," Mensik said after his historic victory.

Mensik withstands pressure to deny Djokovic's 100th title

The final was delayed for nearly six hours due to rain, allowing Mensik ample time to prepare mentally for the biggest match of his career. Meanwhile, Djokovic was aiming for his 100th ATP title, a milestone that remains elusive after this defeat.

Born in September 2005, when Djokovic was already a top-100 ATP player, Mensik showed remarkable composure in the face of an all-time great. He played his best tennis under pressure, delivering strong serves and aggressive baseline play to become the first Czech player to win an ATP Masters 1000 event since Tomas Berdych’s triumph in Paris in 2005.

"It’s not my first time playing against Novak," said Mensik, who previously lost to Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals last year. "There is no more difficult task in tennis than beating him in a final. But I told myself that this is my moment, so I tried to focus on the match like I did in the earlier rounds."

Despite Djokovic's reputation for excelling in tie-breaks—holding the highest tie-break winning percentage in ATP history at nearly 66 percent—Mensik stayed composed and won both sets through tie-breaks.

Djokovic struggles with eye issue as Mensik capitalizes

Djokovic, who has been dealing with an issue in his right eye, appeared uncomfortable throughout the final. The 37-year-old was seen using eye drops multiple times during the match, which may have impacted his performance.

On the other hand, Mensik remained steady under pressure, displaying maturity beyond his years. He played fearless tennis, taking advantage of key moments to outlast Djokovic in both tie-breaks.

With this victory, Mensik will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 24, surpassing Jiri Lehecka to become the second-ranked Czech player behind No. 21 Tomas Machac. Just two years ago, he was ranked No. 390 in the world, highlighting his rapid rise in professional tennis.

Djokovic praises Mensik despite disappointment

While Djokovic was visibly disappointed at missing out on his milestone title, he used his post-match speech to acknowledge Mensik’s outstanding performance.

"This is Jakub's moment, his team's moment, his family's moment. Congratulations, it was an incredible tournament," Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony.

"It hurts to admit it, but you were better! In the crucial moments, you delivered with incredible serves and showed phenomenal mental strength to stay composed under pressure," he added.

Despite the loss, Djokovic showed signs of resurgence after a slow start to the season, where he had a 7-4 record before Miami. The Serbian legend will now turn his focus toward the upcoming clay court season, where he will look to bounce back and continue his pursuit of a historic 100th career title.