The best Mensik in a year defeats a Sinner who still can't find himself

Andrés Tomás Rico | 19 Feb 2026 | 22.45

The best Mensik in a year beats a Sinner who still cannot find himself. Photo: Gettyimages

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The surprise came in Doha. Jannik Sinner packs his bags after falling to a resurgent Jakub Mensik, who possibly played his best match since his title in Miami, confirming he is not in his best form. The Italian displayed the same symptoms as in his defeat against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, ending any possibility of a showdown with Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Czech, showcasing his serve, stakes his claim for the title after securing victory with a 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3.

Minutes after witnessing his generational counterpart and archrival stage another comeback, Jannik Sinner entered the central court in Doha aiming to keep pace with Alcaraz and potentially set up a desired final clash. But before thinking about the Spaniard, the world number two faced Jakub Mensik, who surprised many last year with the Miami title but had since faded.

Mensik springs surprise and eliminates Sinner in Doha

The Czech's goal in 2026 is to find the consistency required to compete with the best players in the world. Despite his highest ATP ranking position (13th), he still needs to elevate his game and confidence, presenting a golden opportunity against Sinner.

The 20-year-old seemed to understand this, displaying composure, reliability with his serve, and hitting the ball aggressively when possible. With these ingredients, Sinner found it challenging to control the match, appearing uncomfortable. His facial expressions mirrored this discomfort, and his game fell short of his usual standards.

He faced a dangerous moment when fighting off a break point at 4-3 down. Displaying resilience with a direct serve and a parallel passing shot, he managed to survive this threat. However, Mensik, with his untouchable serve, continued to dominate, whether on serve or with his forehand.

Neither player could gain much from return points, leading to a tiebreak where Sinner surprisingly made an unforced error, while Mensik, impeccable with his serve, seized the opportunity to claim the 7-6 lead. Alarms rang in Doha as the world number two found himself on the ropes, with his game faltering.

Second-set comeback

Sinner continued to struggle for solutions against an opponent adept at enduring rallies, reminiscent of his match at the Australian Open with Novak Djokovic. His forehand and backhand lacked depth and aggression, hinting at trouble for a player who has dominated the tour for two years.

His fortunes could have worsened as he faced a break point at the start of the second set, which he managed to fend off. At that moment, his stoic demeanor vanished as he exclaimed ‘Let’s go’ and tightened his grip.

Perhaps that was the turning point for the San Candido native, gradually finding his usual groove with deeper shots and control over the rallies. He began to loosen up, catching Mensik off guard, who, with two consecutive double faults, dropped his serve for the first time.

Challenging Sinner head-on entails physical strain that the Czech started to feel. The Italian rallied just in time, vocally celebrating important points, stemming the tide, regaining confidence, and taking the second set 6-2.

Return to struggles in the third

Logic and history suggested a third set strongly in Sinner's favor, yet Mensik, playing brilliantly, defied expectations once more, breaking in the opening game of the deciding set. Given the ease with which the Czech held serve, the situation grew increasingly challenging for the world number two, who, after his resurgence in the second set, regressed in the third.

With Mensik leading 4-2, the prevailing sentiment in Doha’s central court was that Sinner was more likely to lose than to mount a comeback. While the Italian excels in pressure moments, Mensik exuded confidence, preventing any potential comeback to secure a surprising but well-deserved victory with a 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3.

Sinner leaves with the same doubts as he arrived, needing to rediscover his form for Indian Wells and Miami, while Mensik, with today's display, reignites hope as he did a year ago.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El mejor Mensik desde hace un año se impone a un Sinner que sigue sin encontrarse