Novak Djokovic fixes his sights on his next victim in the top 10: "It's a dream come true"

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Jakub Mensik is living a dream at the Shanghai ATP. Not only has he qualified for his first Masters 1000 quarterfinals, but he did so by defeating a former world number 3 (Grigor Dimitrov) to face the man with the most Grand Slams in history: Novak Djokovic. The 19-year-old Czech is the new tennis sensation, just entering the ATP circuit and already achieving 4 consecutive wins against top 10 players. What will these quarterfinals against his idol bring for him?

The Czech is a confessed fan of Nole. He has always admired him, and having the opportunity to face him for the first time is something that cannot be put into words. "I am more than excited; excited is a small word. It is a dream come true; thanks to him, I started playing tennis. When I was young, I began playing and he was already at the top. I thought, 'wow, he is very good, has won many Grand Slams.' And now that I am 19 years old, he is still playing, I have the opportunity to play against him. Obviously, when I started playing, I had the desire to compete with Novak. I am happy that it will come true, and I can play with him. We will see my level on Friday," he said in a tournament press conference.

Chances against Djokovic?

The 1.91m tall youngster has a lot of potential and will not want to experience a bad time due to nerves when facing Nole. Mensik can hold his ground from the baseline, be a true wall, and challenge the Serbian. His power and efficient serve will make things difficult for his idol, although the mental aspect could be crucial. Yes, Jakub has won great battles which will motivate him, but mental fatigue could play a trick on him. Already after his match against Dimitrov, he admitted, "It was a very tough match from a mental point of view because there were many ups and downs. Grigor plays very well, and you always have to keep fighting for each point. It is always difficult to maintain concentration. I am very happy to have won, but it cost me a lot of energy."

In terms of major tournaments, the current world number 65 achieved his best Grand Slam result in his debut, reaching the third round of the US Open 2023 after coming through the qualifiers. It wasn't until this year's Doha tournament that he showed his potential by reaching the final, defeating Davidovich, Murray, Rublev, and Monfils along the way. Since then, he has been somewhat under the radar, but in Shanghai, he has once again demonstrated the magic within him. What does the future hold against Djokovic?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mensik fija en Djokovic su próxima víctima del top 10: "Es un sueño hecho realidad"