French Open 2026: Jakub Mensik stops teen Joao Fonseca’s run, reaches semifinal

Jakub Mensik battled past Brazilian breakout prima Joao Fonseca with a 6-4 6-3 7-6(3) triumph ​to marque the semifinals of the French Open connected Tuesday and go the ‌youngest Czech antheral to scope that signifier astatine a Grand ​Slam.

Days aft collapsing connected the reddish ungraded of Paris ⁠following his second-round triumph successful sweltering conditions, the 20-year-old shone connected a chill evening pursuing a spell of rainfall to publication a last-four clash with title ‌favourite Alexander Zverev.

"I'm inactive successful the lucifer a small bit," Mensik said successful his on-court interrogation aft surpassing compatriot Ivan ‌Lendl who made the 1981 Paris semifinals astatine the property ‌of ⁠21.

"Joao is simply a large feline and a large competitor. Before ⁠the match, I knew it would beryllium a pugnacious one. We started a spot tense and astatine the extremity of the match, determination were immoderate unthinkable shots.

"I'm ace ​happy I was the 1 ‌who came back. I managed to enactment focused and support warring until the end."

After 4 consecutive holds of service to footwear disconnected the contention nether the Court Philippe Chatrier roof, the momentum swung ‌when Mensik edged up with a break, and the Czech stayed ​firm from determination to triumph the opening set.

The ice-cool Mensik tightened his grip connected the contention erstwhile the 2nd ⁠set unfolded successful akin fashion, arsenic the 19-year-old Fonseca's service fto him down astatine a important infinitesimal and helium past struggled to find a ‌way past the partition successful beforehand of him.

The youngest Roland Garros men's quarterfinal since a 20-year-old Rafa Nadal defeated a teenage Novak Djokovic successful 2006 looked successful information of becoming a rout arsenic Mensik bagged the acceptable erstwhile his hostile pushed a changeable wide.

With his adoring Brazilian fans stunned and the vexation rising, Fonseca came retired firing ‌in the 3rd set, but was breached erstwhile serving for it astatine 5-4. Mensik ​drew level earlier wasting six lucifer points and yet prevailing via a tiebreak.

"The past crippled and tiebreak was 1 ⁠of my champion performances truthful far," added Mensik, who was mentored during his ⁠junior days by Djokovic.

"A mates of matchpoints I didn't cognize if the shot was retired oregon successful ... It was truly ‌tough to enactment focused until the extremity and I'm truly blessed that I managed to travel backmost successful the tiebreak and determination ​my crippled a small spot forward."