Jakub Mensik Reaches Miami Open Final After Semifinal Victory Over Taylor Fritz

The 19-year-old Czech credits Lionel Messi's presence for inspiring his historic run to his first Masters 1000 final.

Jakub Mensik defeated Taylor Fritz in a three-set semifinal to secure his place in the Miami Open final, marking his first Masters 1000 final appearance.
Mensik credited a pre-match interaction with soccer legend Lionel Messi as a key source of inspiration for his performance.
Taylor Fritz’s 20 unforced forehand errors proved costly in the closely contested semifinal, despite Fritz leading in winners and baseline aggression.
With this run, Mensik has climbed 24 spots in the live ATP rankings to a career-best No. 30, becoming the third-youngest and third-lowest-ranked finalist in Miami Open history.
Mensik will face Novak Djokovic in the final, where Djokovic aims for his 100th career title and a record seventh Miami Open championship.