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Ice-man Mensik holds his nerve

Czech beats Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) for first Grand Slam semifinal

Jakub Mensik, Roland-Garros 2026, quarterfinal
©Philippe Montigny / FFT
 - Victoria Chiesa

Two of the sport’s brightest young talents both entered uncharted territory on Tuesday night in Paris when Brazil’s Joao Fonseca and Czechia’s Jakub Mensik arrived on Court Philippe-Chatrier, each chasing a first Grand Slam semifinal. 

If the match, the second meeting between the two under-21 talents, was a preview of tennis' future, it was also a study in contrasts.

Both men serve big, and hit bigger. But the 19-year-old Fonseca wears his emotions on his sleeve, feeding off fervent Brazilian fan support that follows him wherever he goes with the exuberance of youth, while Mensik carries himself with a quieter, more measured confidence that beguiles his age. 

And in his Chatrier debut, the 20-year-old Czech's calm proved decisive - even if, as he said in his on-court interview, there were some jitters.

A clean and efficient performance ended as a tense thriller that required seven match points, but Mensik cooled off Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(3) to set a date opposite No.2 seed Alexander Zverev with a spot in the Roland-Garros final at stake.

After not facing a break point across the first two sets, Mensik trailed 5-3 in the third, and also saved a set point at 5-4. 

“We started a little bit nervous, then at the end of the match, there were some incredible shots,” Mensik said in his on-court interview. “I’m super happy that I came back. In the third set, I was a couple of breaks down, so I’m happy I managed to stay focused and keep fighting until the end.”

The last game and the tiebreak were [some] of my best performances so far

Mensik is the first Czech man to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in almost a decade, since top 10 mainstay and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych reached the last of his major semifinals at Wimbledon in 2017.

Five others did it in addition to Berdych, but Mensik adds an exclamation point to his arrival in the exclusive club as the first to achieve the milestone before turning 21.

He channeled the poise of veterans who'd come before him in the contest's latter stages, particularly after failing to convert six match points in the 12th game of the set on Fonseca's serve.

"The last game and the tiebreak were [some] of my best performances so far," Mensik said. "It was really tough to stay focused until the end. I'm happy I managed to come back in the tiebreak and still move my game a little forward."

Zverev will take a 1-0 head-to-head lead into the semifinal against Mensik, a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 win just weeks ago in Madrid.