Three years ago, the Montenegrin audience met the boy Jakub Menšik, who was delighted with Montenegro where he trained with his idol Novak Djokovic - today, the 19-year-old Czech will play for his first title at the Miami Masters, and his idol for his 100th trophy.
The world's most decorated tennis player won his first Masters title in Miami in 2007, when he was 19 years old. Today will be the largest age difference in Masters history between two players playing for the trophy - 18 years and 102 days. The previous record was set in 2005 in Montreal, when a 19-year-old Rafael Nadal defeated the 35-year-old Andre Agasija (6:3, 4:6, 6:2). The difference was 16 years and 35 days.
Novak Djokovic has won 40 Masters titles, making him the absolute record holder. Tonight he is playing for his 41st trophy
Djokovic has long recognized a great talent in Menšik, inviting him to train with him in Belgrade and on the Montenegrin coast immediately after winning the Australian Open in 2022. He is now the 54th player, and from Monday he will jump more than 20 places. And he has a positive record with players from the top 10, seven wins and five losses.
- Nole is my idol, because of him I started playing tennis and I absorbed his advice and learned to play during the preparations he invited me to. But now it's different, because I realized my dream of playing against Novak in Shanghai, now I'm a better player and I'll compete. We'll see what happens on Sunday - said the first tennis player born in 2005 to reach the semifinals and then the final of the Masters.
Last year, in the quarterfinals of Shanghai, after a great fight in three sets, Djokovic defeated Menshik, in their only official duel. In Miami, Djokovic broke records, playing the oldest semifinal of the Masters, as he and the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov together they were 71 years and 262 days old, he also broke Nadal's record for the number of Masters victories, equaling Roger Federer by the number of seasons in which they played in the finals - 20.
- The reason I'm here is to fight for the title. I gave myself a chance and I'll have to continue to serve well because Menšik does it fantastically. I have to return well, enter the rallies from a good position. I know what I have to do - said Djokovic.
Bonus video:
