Fritz Predicts a Tight Final in Miami: "Mensik Has a Good Chance to Trouble Djokovic"

Adrien Guyot

le 29/03/2025 à 07h38

2 min to read

Djokovic Fritz Mensik Miami

Disappointment for Taylor Fritz. The American world No. 4 fell just short of the final at the Miami Masters 1000. Facing a resilient Jakub Mensik, the last US Open finalist lost in a third-set tiebreak (7-6, 4-6, 7-6) in a duel between two players exceptionally strong on serve.

During the press conference, Fritz first reflected on his performance before being asked by journalists about Mensik’s chances against Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final. According to him, Djokovic remains the favorite, but the 19-year-old Czech still has a shot.

"For most of the match, I really struggled with cross-court forehands. It was tough for me to find my rhythm at times. I felt like that shot was crucial for me today, and I missed a few.

"I was using too much topspin, and that’s exactly when he can take the ball flat and hurt you. I had trouble generating enough power. I just wish my forehand had been 5% better—it could’ve made the difference.

"I might not be the best person to talk about Novak—he’s beaten me ten times already. But one thing’s certain: I always see him as the favorite in these matches, no matter the circumstances.

"I think it’ll be an interesting match to watch. They’ll likely play during the day, and in my opinion, those conditions favor Mensik. It’ll help him stay sharp on serve, and he should get plenty of free points there.

"But on the other hand, if Novak reads his serve well and returns effectively, it’ll be tough to beat him. If the conditions are fast enough and he serves well, Djokovic will always be in the match no matter what.

"It’ll be tight. I think Mensik has a good chance to cause problems. Just because I couldn’t read his serve doesn’t mean Novak won’t. To me, that’ll be one of the keys to the match," Fritz stated after his exit.