Djokovic’s Spontaneous Call with Mensik Adds Thrill to Shanghai Masters Showdown

Novak Djokovic could potentially regret a spontaneous phone call with Jakub Mensik as they prepare to face off in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters. The 19-year-old Mensik, a rising star in the tennis world, has previously benefited from insightful advice given by Djokovic, advice which the young player credits for some of his recent success.

Ranked 65th worldwide, Mensik has had an impressive 26-16 singles record, propelling him up the rankings. Though he has not yet achieved the legendary status of Djokovic, who is celebrated for his 24 Grand Slam titles, Mensik has been establishing himself as a formidable adversary. In a January 2022 conversation reported by L'Equipe, Tomas Josefus, Mensik’s coach, recounted how Djokovic unexpectedly reached out to Mensik, offering mentorship and guidance.

Josefus explained, “We were taking stock when Jakub received a video on his phone from a Serbian number that he didn’t know. He did not hesitate to share his knowledge and contacts. We had closed doors in front of us; Novak opened them.” Mensik further elaborated on the transformative call, sharing, “At first, I thought it was a hoax, but it was really him. Novak is my childhood idol; you can imagine my joy.”

Mensik has integrated many of Djokovic’s training and preparation techniques into his own regimen, something he attributes to advancing his career: “Weight, lunch, recovery… Everything he did, I did. I understood a lot of things there. I observed him, I tried to analyse his functioning, how he warms up, stretches, recovers.”

Despite not yet claiming a Grand Slam title, Mensik has been making significant strides in other tournaments. He reached the semi-finals at the Croatia Open and was a finalist at the Qatar Open, where although eventually defeated by Karen Khachanov, he received considerable praise for his overall performance.

The mentorship he received from Djokovic has played an integral role in Mensik’s continual improvement. After their initial meeting, Djokovic invited Mensik to train with him in Belgrade and Montenegro, experiences that Mensik cherishes. “It’s really nice that one of the best players in history invited me,” Mensik said about his time spent learning from Djokovic.

As the Shanghai Masters unfolds, Mensik has showcased his prowess by defeating notable opponents including Pedro Martinez, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Shevchenko, and Grigor Dimitrov to secure his place in the quarter-finals. Conversely, Djokovic has smoothly advanced to the same stage with victories over Alex Michelsen, Flavio Cobolli, and Roman Safiullin.