French Open: Czech teen Mensik draws inspiration and support from idol Djokovic

Czech tennis prodigy Jakub Mensik is making waves at the French Open, reaching the men's singles semifinals at just 20 years old. This remarkable achievement makes him the youngest Czech man in history to advance this far in a Grand Slam tournament.

Mensik's journey in Roland Garros has been impressive, notably defeating Joao Fonseca in the quarterfinals. Fonseca had previously eliminated his idol, Novak Djokovic. Despite Djokovic's early departure from the tournament, Mensik shared that the Serbian superstar has been actively supporting him.

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He's a great person, a great champion, and we have a good relationship. I'm very happy that he continues to care about my results, at least we can stay in touch because of it.

"He's a great person, a great champion, and we have a good relationship," Mensik said of Djokovic. "I'm very happy that he continues to care about my results, at least we can stay in touch because of it." Mensik revealed that Djokovic sent him messages after his victories against Andrey Rublev in the round of 16 and Fonseca in the quarterfinals.

Mensik has often cited Djokovic as his inspiration for pursuing tennis. He experienced a dream-come-true moment last year when he defeated Djokovic in the Miami Masters final. Reflecting on his career, Mensik expressed deep gratitude for Djokovic's influence, recalling a time when Djokovic invited him to train together as a junior. "He gave me a lot of advice on how the tour and the entire professional tennis world works," Mensik stated. He believes this early guidance was a crucial turning point, helping him adjust his playing style and achieve his current success.

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He gave me a lot of advice on how the tour and the entire professional tennis world works.