Jakub Mensik: why he looks like Sinner and what he learned during the season

Following his stellar season at the highest level, the Czech tennis player Jakub Mensik (48th) got a ticket to face the best Under 21s of the year in the seventh edition of the Next Gen Finalswhich will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from December 18 to 22.

Excited to confirm his pleasant appearance, the one born in Prostejov, who will share the Blue Group with the Frenchman Arthur Fils (20th), the American Learner Tien (122nd) and the Brazilian Joao Fonseca (145th), highlighted the importance of competing the event, speaking to the ATP: “It’s a great event. I think Many of the former champions are already at the top of the ATP circuit. Sinnerwhich had my same age and level when he played the tournamentis now one of the best players in the world. “It’s nice to see the new guys trying to bring something fresh to tennis.”

Consequently, the powerful right-hander, who appeared in partnership at the ATP 250 in Doha by advancing to the final, drew a very parallel between his characteristics and those of the Italian Jannik Sinner (1st): “I like Sinner. He is a tall player like me and continues to move very well. In my opinion he is similar to me because I am already tall and I can move well on the court. With the rightI have one technique and a style similar too.”

“I can’t be like Alcaraz because he is smaller and stronger. I am thinner. When you see a lot of tall guys now, they have a great serve and great weapons. My serve is also a very big weapon,” continued the executioner of the Russian Andrey Rublev (8th) and the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (10th), differentiating himself from the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz (3rd).

On the other hand, the participant in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games revealed the main learning that he incorporated into the current calendar: “That it’s not just about winning. My motto is ‘we don’t lose’. I knew at the beginning that it would be very difficult on the circuit. Every day, every week, you’re basically losing because at the end of the tournament there can only be one winner, one champion, and that’s always the case.”

“It’s very hard to stay week after week to be the champion. That’s what it’s about, trust the process. Work hard every day and be the best you can, then one day you will be the champion,” concluded Mensik, who in the semifinals could face Axel Michelsen (41st), Juncheng Shang (50th), Luca Van Assche (128th) or Nishesh Basavareddy (138th).