Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a shot against Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic in the men's singles final at the Miami Open in Miami, Florida, March 30, 2025. /VCG
The Serbian bounced back to level the set, but boiled over with frustration as Mensik got off to a 5-0 start in the tiebreak, fuming at his box, where ex-rival-turned-coach Andy Murray sat stone-faced.
The young Czech held his nerve, meanwhile, and pumped his fist with satisfaction as he clinched the set with an overhead smash.
The two players battled toe-to-toe in a thrilling second set, which saw Mensik use his speed to his advantage to neutralize Djokovic's fine drop shots at the net.
Djokovic put his veteran survival instincts on display as he fended off two break points in the fifth game, but gradually showed the wear-and-tear of the match, before collapsing from exhaustion after a 21-shot rally in the deciding tiebreak.
