Mensik: "I can't respect the chair umpire after how he treated me"

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Jakub Mensik protagonized one of the most shocking images of Roland Garros 2026 after physically collapsing on the court following a grueling five-set victory under the extreme heat of Paris. The young Czech player explained at a press conference that he had serious problems hydrating himself during a large part of the match and harshly criticized the conditions in which the game was played.

The Czech admitted that he reached a physical breaking point during the fourth and fifth set but also expressed pride in continuing to fight despite cramps and extreme exhaustion. Jakub Mensik also voiced some criticisms towards the rigidity of the rules during side changes and suggested his displeasure with the chair umpire at Roland Garros 2026.

This is what Jakub Mensik said after leaving Roland Garros 2026 in a wheelchair

The tremendous physical suffering he experienced during the match

"I think everyone saw perfectly how I finished the match, especially the fifth set. The first three sets were quite good from my side, and honestly, I felt prepared even for these conditions. But at the beginning of the fourth set, I started having a lot of trouble taking in electrolytes and fluids. I practically stopped drinking at the start of the fourth set, and that's when all the problems began."

"It's crazy to play in such heat, especially completely exposed to the sun. Being out there for over four and a half hours is absolutely wild. There's really not enough time to cool down during the side changes. When you sit down, there are practically only 30 seconds left, and everything goes very quickly."

How he managed to keep fighting despite the cramps

"It was simply because of the heat. I had a very hard time taking in fluids and electrolytes. Then some cramps appeared at the end of the match."

"I'm happy because I kept fighting until the end. Even when I could barely serve, I still believed I could find a way to win. It was very much about the mental aspect: finding the last bit of energy you still have inside you and continuing to fight."

"The cramps really hit me in the last points. When I won the last point, all the emotions came out at once, and my body simply shut down. At that moment, I couldn't do absolutely anything."

His critique of the rules and officiating

"I fully respect the rules, but with this heat and these conditions, everything becomes crazy. Probably any spectator would think, 'Give them five or ten more seconds.' Today, I didn't have them, and I even lost my first serve because of that. What happened after the match, I prefer to keep it to myself. But the behavior of the umpire... honestly, I don't respect it."

How he is approaching recovery and the match against Álex de Miñaur now

"Thirty minutes later, out of the sun, I started feeling much better. I went straight to the ice bath and then even did recovery in the gym. Now it's simply about replenishing fluids, food, and strength. I will make the most of the rest day. I've experienced other long five-set matches before and then managed to recover quite well."

"I will do everything possible to compete again. Alex has a similar style to today's opponent, so it will be very challenging, but I feel in good shape, and I will continue fighting."

After one of the most grueling and dramatic victories of Roland Garros 2026, the young Czech Jakub Mensik made it clear that a large part of his triumph stemmed more from mental resilience than physicality. The young Czech survived extreme conditions in Paris and ended up offering one of the most striking images of the entire tournament.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mensik: "No puedo respetar al juez de silla después de como se portó conmigo"