Novak Djokovic did not play the perfect match, but he continues to advance in Shanghai, where he will play his 9th semi-final in the Chinese Masters 1000 on Saturday. The enthusiasm and raw talent of Jakub Mensik sometimes posed problems for him on Friday, but the Serb still dominated the debates a little more clearly than the score indicates, with this success in three sets (6-7, 6 -1, 6-4). Even plugged into AC power, the former world number one had a certain margin. He therefore joins Taylor Fritz, whom he will face for a place in the final.
We will talk again very quickly and undoubtedly a lot about Mensik, who this week confirmed the multiple qualities of his punching tennis already seen on various occasions this year. He has power, a nice hand and a certain nerve, even if it will take time to polish his diamond side. The 19-year-old Czech (who wasn’t even born when Rafael Nadal won the first of his 14 Roland-Garros…) in any case looked his illustrious opponent in the eyes, until snatching this first set from through a little hold up.
Second fatal
This was a rather unusual moment for Djokovic, capable of being unbroken in stride as he served for the set at 5-4 after taking Mensik’s serve. The latter had jumped on his first break point to pick up again. He didn’t know it yet, but it would also be his last opportunity of the meeting. But with a tie-break largely redacted by Djokovic behind, it was he who took the lead, a little against all expectations.
The Paris Olympic champion then remained Olympian calm. It was almost worrying not to see him upset, at least in appearance, by this calamitous scenario at the end of the first round. But Djokovic responded by taking his tennis nerves out on his young opponent, who undoubtedly needed to digest his little feat. Result: a quick 6-1 and a hand once again placed on the match. He wasn’t going to loosen the grip again.
A single break was enough in the deciding set for Djokovic, who continued to harass Mensik on his second ball. One of the areas of progress, clearly, for the Czech nugget, who delighted in the first (17 aces) but suffered the martyrdom when it remained stranded (only 34% of points won behind its second). A little long to materialize but logical, therefore, this victory of the more illustrious of the two protagonists. Even if, to get his first Masters 1000 of the year, he will have to increase the volume a little more this weekend.
