“To have him watch me live obviously brings me great, great joy and excitement, and also a bit of pressure, to be honest,” Novak Djokovic recently admitted after spotting soccer legend Lionel Messi in the stands during his Miami Open SF match. And who could blame him? After all, Leo has conquered every corner of the soccer world, winning almost every single trophy that’s there to be won. And now, that same magic appears to have worked on rising star Jakub Menšík. Fresh off his victory over Taylor Fritz, the Czech couldn’t help but credit the Argentine icon’s presence as his lucky charm, calling Messi the secret spark behind his big win. But what exactly did he say?
Taylor Fritz fought tooth and nail to stay alive in the Miami Open semifinal against Mensik, dragging the match into the decider after losing the first set in a tie-breaker. The American defended his serve valiantly all night and even edged Menšík in baseline aggression, racking up 25 winners to the Czech’s 15, according to Infosys ATP Stats. But the story of the match came down to crucial errors: Fritz’s 20 unforced forehand mistakes proved costly. The 19-year-old Mensik, who earlier lost two nail-biting 25-shot rallies at key moments, flipped the script when it mattered most, winning a breathtaking 27-shot rally on the American’s serve to earn 2 match points in the tie-break, and he only needed one.
The numbers tell you how close the match was: Mensik won 82% of his first-serve points, just ahead of Fritz’s 80%. But after dramatically sealing the victory, the young Czech didn’t credit his shot-making. Instead, Menšík revealed what truly fueled his fire: the presence of one man in the crowd – the megastar Lionel Messi.
When asked during his on-court interview if the now-viral photo with Lionel Messi taken before the match had anything to do with his performance, Menšík smiled and teased, “Yeah exactly. I shook his hand. I was kind of chilling with him a bit so I didn’t wash my hand before stepping on court. That was the key for today.”
Mensik says Leo Messi was the key to beating Fritz in Miami
“You got a pic with Messi before the match. That was the key right?”
Jakub: “Yeah exactly. I shook his hand. I was kind of chilling with him a bit so I didn’t wash my hand before stepping on court. That was the key for… pic.twitter.com/p18443y7Bp
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 29, 2025
Ranked 54th coming into Miami, Menšík’s dream run has seen him topple tennis heavyweights, including 7th seed and Indian Wells champion Jack Draper. With his Miami final berth, the Czech becomes the third-lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament’s history and the third-youngest ever, following the footsteps of legends Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. He has already climbed 24 spots in the live ATP rankings to reach a career-best of No. 30 and could rise to No. 24 with a title win.
And while the rising Czech star celebrates his meteoric rise, it’s a heartbreak for Fritz. The former US Open finalist, fresh off an emotional comeback win over Matteo Berrettini, couldn’t hold off the inspired teenager.
Taylor Fritz crashed out of the Miami Open, despite an impressive comeback victory in the QF
For the first 90 minutes of Taylor Fritz’s intense QF showdown against Matteo Berrettini at the Miami Open, it seemed like the American No. 1 was cruising toward a smooth, straight-sets victory. But little did anyone know, the journey was about to take a wild, scenic route. More than an hour later, what looked like an easy ride turned into an emotional rollercoaster for Fritz, as his path to a maiden Miami SF became anything but straightforward.
A gripping 7-5, 6-7(7), 7-5 contest, lasting two hours and 44 minutes, concluded after Fritz narrowly avoided defeat despite squandering six match points. The dramatic conclusion ensued after 70 minutes of intense play. It marked his fifth straight win over Berrettini, and after the hard-fought win, Fritz admitted, “It was tough. I kept trying to tell myself that he played well and that it’s not as much on me, so I tried not to get frustrated. He raised his level a lot, and there are two options: get frustrated and lose, and be even more frustrated at all the chances I blew, or regroup and get the win.”
The US Open finalist achieved notable victories over the 27th seed, Denis Shapovalov, and Matteo Berrettini, in consecutive hard-fought matches before. But his heroic journey in the tournament came to an end as the American ace eventually fell short in the semifinals against Mensik. Now, as the tour shifts to clay, a surface where Fritz is still chasing his first major title, the question lingers: Can the 4th seed carry this fighting spirit and finally lift a trophy on the red dirt?
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