In the vibrant setting of Miami Gardens, Novak Djokovic notched another victory at the Miami Open, with the distinguished company of Lionel Messi observing his triumph.
On Friday at Hard Rock Stadium, Djokovic made it to the Miami Open final with ease, decisively defeating 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3. Next, the fourth-seeded Djokovic aims to capture his seventh Miami Open title on Sunday. He’ll face off against an unseeded 19-year-old, Jakub Mensik, whose tenacity led to a thrilling win over the No. 3 seed, Taylor Fritz, in a taut match that ended with a double tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
At 37, Djokovic has already secured six titles at the previous venue in Key Biscayne and is now on the verge of claiming his 100th professional title. This year, however, hasn’t been without its challenges. He had to retire from the Australian Open due to injury and more recently faced a surprising early exit at Indian Wells against Botic Van De Zandschulp.
During a post-match interview on court, Djokovic shared his excitement about Messi’s presence, referring to him as “King Leo.” Apparently, Messi, accompanied by his family, visited Djokovic in the locker room, and they exchanged gifts. While Djokovic has witnessed Messi’s prowess on the field before, this occasion marked the first time Messi watched him play tennis.
“Having his family here is a real thrill for me,” Djokovic expressed. “It’s an immense honor. Messi isn’t just an incredible footballer; his influence on sports over the last two decades is monumental. Him watching live adds a mix of excitement and a bit of pressure, especially when he brings his family. It was genuinely touching.”
The match saw a brief interruption during the third game when security had to escort a disruptive spectator from the stands. Dimitrov, who had an altercation with the heckler, pointed him out to the umpire, yet remained composed about the incident.
“It’s just heckling, no big deal,” commented Dimitrov. “I’m a peaceful person, but hey, don’t poke the bear.”
Dimitrov had previously taken down Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals, albeit with a struggle that left him dizzy. Post-victory, he stayed seated in a wheelchair for 25 minutes before being assisted away by medical staff, eventually opting out of the press conference. He mentioned being heavily hydrated afterward but couldn’t fully recall the events, acknowledging the physical demands of the sport.
Initially, Djokovic faced a break from Dimitrov in the opening game. Yet, he quickly found his rhythm, wrapping up the first set in 32 minutes. Djokovic, a leader with 24 Grand Slam titles, showed remarkable efficiency, landing 87% of his first serves and committing a mere five unforced errors in a match lasting just over an hour.
“Now I know what it’s like to be like John Isner and Reilly Opelka,” Djokovic joked about his strong serve. “Maybe my serve has been a bit underrated.”
With this victory, Djokovic improved to a 13-1 career record against Dimitrov. The Bulgarian, taking defeat gracefully, praised Djokovic’s commanding presence.
“It’s like he wears confidence the way you wear a shirt,” Dimitrov noted. “It’s a rare quality among athletes.”
Meanwhile, Jakub Mensik, standing on the brink of an ATP 1,000-point final for the first time and entering the tournament ranked 54th, demonstrated remarkable composure. Facing Fritz in the decisive moments, Mensik clinched victory by seizing the last three points of the tiebreaker.
Without breaking serve throughout the match, Mensik delivered a striking backhand down the line at 5-4 in the tiebreaker. Fritz faltered with a long forehand and an unforced error into the net, concluding the two-hour-and-25-minute battle.
Mensik enjoyed a brief meet and greet with Messi before his match.
“I made sure not to wash my hands before stepping onto the court,” Mensik quipped.
Djokovic has been a significant influence on Mensik’s career choice, having faced him last October in a three-set duel at the Shanghai Masters. With an 18-year age gap, this upcoming face-off is highly anticipated.
“Playing Novak feels incredible, unreal,” Mensik confessed. “Facing him was a dream in Shanghai, and I believe I’ve improved since then.”
