Andy Murray came up against Jakub Mensik before his retirement from tennis and the Brit’s reaction to the Czech teen’s talent said it all..
Andy Murray realised that his time in tennis was nearing an end after suffering an upset defeat at the hands of Jakub Mensik. The teenager has since made an even bigger mark on tennis, beating Novak Djokovic in the Miami Open final this weekend.
Murray called time on his illustrious 19-year career last August but not before taking on the Czech sensation in the Round of 16 at the Qatar Open. Despite losing the first set 6-7 to the then-18-year-old, Murray remained in the match and earned a break point at 5-5 during the second set.
However, after hitting a shot into the net, the frustrated veteran all but admitted that retirement from the sport was soon approaching as he was spotted mouthing: “This game is not for me anymore. It’s not for me anymore, this game.”
The 37-year-old ended up claiming the second set via a tiebreak but was bested 6-7 in the third with Mensik claiming the biggest win of his career thus far. Murray spent just five months as a professional player before retiring in August after competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The list of legendary scalps that Mensik, still just 19, has claimed in his young career hit an all-time high on Sunday when he defeated Djokovic in straight sets to win his first title. Murray – who has worked as the Serbian’s coach since the Australian Open – was in attendance at the Hard Rock Stadium to watch his former foe earn a famous win over who he admitted was his childhood idol growing up.
Murray undoubtedly would have warned his ex-rival-turned client about the talent Mensik possesses but it’s one Djokovic was certainly aware of. After the teenager reached the Australian Open juniors final in 2022, the tennis icon invited the then-16-year-old to train with him.
On top of winning his first ATP title, Mensik also prevented Djokovic from reaching the milestone of 100 career titles. The 37-year-old was bidding to join only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only three male players in the Open Era to win 100 or more titles. He also entered the match as the oldest ever to compete in a Masters 1000 final but was foiled by Mensik who was overcome by emotion after the final point.
Beating your hero in a final and stopping him joining a historic club in tennis history is a mammoth feat as Mensik opted to pay tribute to the 24-time Grand Slam champion in his post-win speech at the trophy ceremony. “When I was young I started to play tennis because of you,” he told Djokovic. “There is no harder task for a tennis player than to beat you in the finals of a tournament.”
Humble in defeat, the Serb was brutally honest about his shortcomings when praising Mensik’s title-winning performance. “It hurts me to admit it but you were better,” he said. “In the clutch moments, you delivered the goods.” In what was the first final of 2025 for Djokovic, he remains without a title this year with his last ATP trophy win coming in 2023.