Jakub Mensik continued his breakthrough season Saturday when he qualified for his first major main draw at the US Open. The 17-year-old relied on a rock-solid serving performance, firing 11 aces and winning 84 per cent of points behind his first delivery to down countryman Zdenek Kolar 7-5, 6-4.
Turning 18 on 1 September, Mensik is the second-youngest player in the US Open main draw, behind American Learner Tien. The Czech, who will meet Frenchman Gregoire Barrere in the opening round, ousted tour veteran Fabio Fognini in the first round of qualifying before defeating #NextGenATP Swiss Leandro Riedi and Kolar to advance.
In May, Mensik won the ATP Challenger Tour event in Prague, where he became the youngest Czech Challenger champion in history (since 1978). The 2022 Australian Open boys’ singles finalist was ranked outside the Top 800 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings last August and has since risen to No. 191.
Three Americans also advanced through qualifying Saturday, with New York native Nicolas Moreno De Alboran leading the way by saving two match points to survive Belgian Joris De Loore 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(12). Despite trailing 0/5 in the deciding-set tie-break, the 25th seed mounted a comeback to make his major main-draw debut. Zachary Svajda cruised past Marc Polmans 6-2, 6-1. Emilio Nava led Eliot Spizzirri 6-3, 3-6, 3-1 before his countryman retired.
What a moment!
New York native Nicolas Moreno de Alboran earns a spot in the main draw with a thrilling three-set win! pic.twitter.com/CgZdkt7coz
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2023
Frenchmen Hugo Gaston and Titouan Droguet secured main-draw spots. The sixth seed Gaston rallied past Slovakian Lukas Klein 1-6, 6-3, 6-1. Droguet defeated Belgian Kimmer Coppejans 6-1, 1-6, 7-5. Later in the day, Italian Stefano Travaglia ended a possible French trifecta by battling past #NextGenATP Arthur Cazaux 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-1 in three hours, two minutes.
Eighth seed Borna Gojo defeated Czech Tomas Machac 7-6(5), 6-2. Japanese Sho Shimabukuro escaped 10th seed Liam Broady 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.