The Australian Open will feature a Mentor vs Mentee clash in the fourth round on Monday, as 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic aims to avoid an upset against Jakub Mensik.
Mensik took down his idol in their most recent encounter in Miami nearly 12 months ago, and the young player hopes to repeat the victory to break the veteran's ongoing streak of reaching at least the semi-finals of Slams.
Match preview
It may have taken the ninth try, but Mensik finally broke his third-round hoodoo at Majors in this embryonic career Down Under to reach the second week of a leading event for the first time.
After failing to reach this stage in eight previous attempts, including third-round appearances at the US Open in 2023 and 2024, the Australian Open last year and Wimbledon in 2025, the 20-year-old finally succeeded at his third appearance at Melbourne Park.
The journey could have ended before it even started, with the world No. 17 needing to come from two-sets-to-one down in his tournament opener against Pablo Carreno Busta, against whom he won 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in four hours and 13 minutes.
Not since has the young player from Czechia dropped another set, claiming straight-set victories to eliminate Rafael Jodar and Ethan Quinn, with the latter victory achieved after winning two tiebreaks.
The Auckland champion enters a third meeting with Djokovic on a 6-0 run in shootouts — he won two in Auckland and has claimed three at the ongoing Slam — and the Serb will be well aware of the youngster’s clinical execution in such situations after being on the receiving end in Miami last year.
Jakub Mensik reacts at the Miami Open on March 27, 2025
Djokovic admitted that Mensik, 18 years his junior, executed better on the big points in that Masters 1000 final, and both men face off for the third time, the first at a Grand Slam.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has yet to drop a set at the first Major of 2026, defeating Pedro Martinez, Francesco Maestrelli and Botic van De Zandschulp in under three hours, with the third-round victory over Van De Zandschulp lasting the longest: two hours and 44 minutes.
Saturday's triumph marked the world No. 4's 400th success at the leading events — extending his lead over Roger Federer (369) — while he tied the Swiss legend's 102 victories at the Australian Open with his latest triumph.
Now aiming to be the standalone holder of the most wins at this event, Djokovic, a 10-time champion at Melbourne Park, bids to reach the quarter-finals for the 16th time at the expense of his mentee.
Having last failed to make the second week of a Major since the 2023 US Open, when he lost to Alexei Popyrin in New York, the 101-time ATP champion, is edging close to another semi-final appearance at this level, having made the last four at the Slams last year only to fall to either Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz in completed matches.
Motivated and looking dangerous as per usual, Djokovic, who enters Monday’s last-16 contest at 102-20 overall, now seeks his 103rd success to make the quarters, where either Lorenzo Musetti or Taylor Fritz await.
Tournament so far
Jakub Mensik:
First round: vs. Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5 4-6 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3
Second round: vs. Rafael Jodar 6-2 6-4 6-4
Third round: vs. Ethan Quinn 6-2 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
Novak Djokovic:
First round: vs. Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-2 6-2
Second round: vs. Francesco Maestrelli 6-3 6-2 6-2
Third round: vs. Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)
Head To Head
Miami Masters (2025) - Final: Mensik 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Shanghai Masters (2024) - Quarter-final: Djokovic 6-7(4) 6-1 6-4
Although Djokovic won their first meeting in Shanghai in 2024, Mensik got his revenge in the Miami Open final last year, clinching his maiden Masters 1000 title against his idol.
Tied 1-1 heading into their third meeting on the ATP Tour, the victor will take a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head.
Djokovic will be wary of being forced to a tiebreak on Monday, having lost all three shootouts against his mentee, once in Shanghai and two in Miami.
However, Mensik, who defeated three top-10 opponents en route to his Miami triumph, has lost his last three matches against elite opponents, and the 20-year-old is now seeking a ninth career win over such players (his record stands at 8–8).
We say: Djokovic to win in four sets
While he took a medical timeout in the third round against Van De Zandschulp, Djokovic’s body not breaking down will play a significant part in how deep the 38-year-old advances Down Under.
If there are no setbacks on Monday, the 24-time Grand Slam champion should get his revenge against his mentee, albeit in four sets, and seal a quarter-final berth at Mensik’s expense.