Mensik’s grit ignites Krejcikova’s United Cup fire
From a cramping junior heartbreak to ace-laced triumphs, Jakub Mensik’s rise has Barbora Krejcikova shouting support as the Czechs chase United Cup glory in Perth.
In the electric hum of Perth’s RAC Arena, Jakub Mensik turned the United Cup 2026 opener into a testament to hard-won maturity. The 20-year-old Czech, riding high from his 2025 Miami ATP Masters 1000 title, outdueled Casper Ruud in two taut sets, his serve carving through the Norwegian’s defenses like a precision blade. Teammate Barbora Krejcikova, fresh off her own straight-sets win, glued her eyes to a team-room screen, her voice rising with the crowd as Mensik sealed the 3-0 sweep over Norway.
Four years earlier, when Mensik was just 16, he had stormed into the Australian Open boys’ singles final, trading blistering groundstrokes with Bruno Kuzuhara deep into a third set. Full-body cramps seized him in the final game, twisting a winnable match into a gut-wrenching loss on those Melbourne hard courts. Krejcikova, then an emerging force, caught the drama on television and felt the sting of his unfulfilled promise, a moment that planted the seed of her enduring fandom.
“I was definitely following him since he was cramping in Australia a couple of years ago,” Krejcikova told ATPTour.com, cracking a laugh. “I was following him since then, and I’m really happy that he’s making such progress and that he’s doing great, and he’s very talented.”
Cramps shape unyielding focus
That 2022 collapse in Melbourne lingered like a shadow, pushing Mensik to overhaul his conditioning for the demands of pro tennis. By the time United Cup rolled around, he had transformed vulnerability into composure, his body holding firm under the Perth lights where national stakes amplified every point. Krejcikova saw parallels to her own journey, turning physical setbacks into mental edge as the Czechs hunted their first team trophy.
Mensik’s match against Ruud tested that steel early, with the Norwegian probing from the baseline in long rallies on the medium-paced hard court. He countered with a 1–2 pattern, slamming inside-out forehands to stretch Ruud wide before snapping down-the-line backhands for winners. The adjustments kept the tempo brisk, disrupting Ruud’s rhythm and turning defensive scrambles into break chances.
Serve slices through pressure
Krejcikova’s cheers from the team office added fuel, her shouts syncing with Mensik’s fist pumps after each clutch hold. She marveled at his serve, which fired 16 aces to build a 2-0 ATP Head2Head lead over Ruud, the ball toss landing with mechanical precision every time. That compactness turned second serves into threats, especially in deuce standoffs where heavy topspin kept returns shallow and predictable.
“We were sitting in our little office in there. We were shouting at the TV and really pumping him up,” she said, her enthusiasm bridging the gap between tours. Krejcikova, a self-proclaimed tennis junkie, relished the rare chance to study Mensik up close amid the United Cup’s mixed-format intensity.
“What I definitely love about his tennis is the serve,” Krejcikova said. “Overall today I was able to watch him a little bit more, because I mean, the Tours are separate, and we don’t really have the opportunities to spend as much time together. Today was amazing. I think he was playing unbelievable, and he was serving really well during the important points. He was passing so many times. It was unbelievable.”
“I think just the way how he hits it, how compact his serve is,” she added. “I feel like he’s tossing the ball every single time the same way, so that’s something unique. it’s something that is very tough for me, so actually, I would love to have his serve.”
Bonds propel Czech surge
As the Czech Republic eyes deeper runs in Sydney, Mensik’s poise hints at more upsets ahead, his passing shots threading needles during Ruud’s net forays. Krejcikova’s insights could refine his doubles game, blending her savvy with his firepower for knockout pressure. Their shared energy in Perth, born from that distant junior ache, signals a partnership primed to etch Czech names into team tennis history.
