Mensik: "The mental demand of a Grand Slam is unparalleled to anything else"

Streaming French Open live tennis

🎾 Flavio Cobolli vs Zachary Svajda

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Jakub Mensik continues to prove himself as one of the great sensations of Roland Garros 2026. The Czech player advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Andrey Rublev in another demanding five-set match, extending his spectacular winning streak in Paris and showing that he is ready to aim for glory.

After the match, Jakub Mensik emphasized the importance of managing momentum shifts during long matches, reflected on the substantial physical and mental strain he has endured over the past week, and also spoke about the Czech tennis figures who influenced his growth as a player. All this after yet another battle at Roland Garros 2026, a tournament that keeps pushing him to his limits.

This is how Jakub Mensik explained his feat at Roland Garros 2026

A battle of constant shifts in momentum

"It was a great match and a real rollercoaster. Each set and every moment of the match had its own storyline. I went two sets up, then he came back to level the match, and in the end, everything was decided in the fifth set."

"I believe this match was mainly about managing the match's momentum. In the first two sets, I was the one setting the pace, and I felt quite comfortable. However, the conditions were very different from the previous days. The court was slower, the balls were heavier, and it was not easy to adapt my playing style to those circumstances."

"Andrey is an extraordinary player and a great fighter. He perfectly demonstrated that when he found himself two sets down and managed to get back into the match playing incredible tennis. He hit many winners, and the momentum clearly shifted to his side. There were moments when, despite being ahead, I felt like the match was slipping away from me. That's why I am so pleased to have regained the initiative in the fifth set and to have been able to finish the match the way I did."

Three consecutive wars in five days

"These have been five days with three great battles against top players. However, this is a Grand Slam, and that's how this sport works. As you progress through the draw, it doesn't matter who's on the other side of the net. Everyone wants to showcase their best tennis, and so do I."

"The conditions have been very tough all week, but there is also an enormous mental demand. In the end, it all revolves around momentum shifts. You can be two sets up or two sets down and still feel like the match is completely open. You can be a break down and yet maintain emotional control of the match. In these types of matches, momentum constantly changes, and you can never relax."

Berdych, the benchmark of a whole generation

"Czech tennis has an incredible history, both in the men's and women's categories. We've had many great players over the years."

"When I was a child, the player I followed the most was Tomas Berdych. He was the one competing at that time and was the most important reference for me. Everything before that belongs to another time because I wasn't as involved in tennis back then."

"Now I'm very happy to see how Czech tennis is once again well represented at the top. After Tomas, we went through a few years without as many standout players, but now we have four or five players in the top 100. This allows us to train together, support each other, learn from each other, and compete to improve. Having so many Czech players at this level is great news for all of us."

Jakub Mensik continues to gain invaluable experiences at Roland Garros 2026. After defeating Navone, De Miñaur, and Rublev in just a few days, the Czech player continues to demonstrate a maturity beyond his years in managing high-stakes matches. His qualification for the quarterfinals confirms the growth of one of the great promises in world tennis and reinforces the excellent state currently enjoyed by Czech tennis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mensik: "La exigencia mental de un Grand Slam es inigualable a nada más"