Czech teenager Jakub Mensik beat his idol Novak Djokovic on Monday to win his first title on the senior tour at the Miami Masters.
The 19-year-old outwitted the veteran Serb 7-6, 7-6 in two hours and three minutes.
"You’re the one I idolised when I was young," Mensik said to Djokovic during the trophy ceremony at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
“I started playing tennis because of you. I've had a couple of opportunities to practise with you and there is no harder task than to beat you in a final. Thank you for everything you have done in tennis."
Mensik, during his surge to glory at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the ATP circuit after the four Grand Slam events in Paris, London, Melbourne and New York, took out the sixth seed Jack Draper in the second round and the 17th-seeded Frenchman Arthur Fils in the quarter-finals.
Third seed Taylor Fritz was dispatched in the semi-final before the 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokokovic was overpowered in the Stadium Court showdown which was delayed six hours due to torrential downpours in Florida.
Mastery
"This is Jakub's moment — moment of his team, moment of his family," said Djokovic. "Congratulations, unbelievable tournament, first win of many."
Djokovic, 37, pocketed his first title in Miami in 2007 when Mensik was barely two-years-old. He was aiming for a record seventh title at the Miami Masters and a record-extending 40th trophy at the Masters events which are played in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Triumph would have allowed Djokovic to join Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only men to have notched up 100 tournament victories.
"It hurts me to admit it, you were better," added Djokovic. "In the clutch moments you delivered the goods. For a young player like yourself, this is a great feature."
Mensik, who cited nervousness in his loss to Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters last October, blitzed through the initial stages of the final. He took Djokovic's opening service game to open up a 3-0 lead.
Eventually reeled in, the first set went to a tiebreaker at six games apiece which Mensik took seven points to four. The second set ended in the same manner with the same scoreline.
Ranked 54th at the start of the event, Mensik will harvest 1000 points and rocket up the ATP listings to a career-high 24 to become the second-ranked Czech player behind number 21 Tomas Machac.
His exploits and the manner of his victory in the final will make him one of the players to watch at the Monte Carlo Masters which starts on 5 April and at the French Open in Paris in May.
