By Jakub Mensik’s 2024: Injury, recovery, learning, tickling and prosperity | ATP Tour

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Mensik’s 2024: Injury, recovery, learning, tapping and thriving

Read about the whirlwind season of Czech youth

August 29, 2024

Few 18-year-olds have had as big a year as #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik. From the top 100 to the elbow injury and the final exams, there has been no shortage of important moments for the young Czech.

But Mensik enjoys the ride and it shows in his performance. The PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah fourth-seeded player can hit the jackpot if he defeats Tristan Schoolkate on Thursday to reach the third round of the US Open for the second consecutive year. These are the opportunities a young person lives for.

“I have loved the game of chess since I was young. So that was my dream, always, to play in these big tournaments. And when I win, I win. If I lose, I lose, it doesn’t matter. “Without losing, nothing wins, and that’s my motto,” said Mensik. “I know that after losing in everything I have to continue to work, concentrate because when the competition ends there will be one winner, that’s all. I saw that, that’s why I try to show my best performance. Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s not, but that’s how it works.”

Mensik is still new to the ATP Tour. One year ago, he was No. 206 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Now, he is No. 65. But a lot has happened in 12 months.

The Czech reached the final of the ATP Challenger Tour to start his 2024 season and then qualified for the Australian Open, where he reached the second round of the main draw. In February, the teenager advanced to his first ATP Tour final in Doha.

As the clay court season drew to a close, things became difficult. Mensik struggled with an elbow injury. His coach, Tomas Josefus, explained that avoiding injuries is one of the main things for the team.

“Jakub is only 18 years old, so he is in his growing years, he has not yet fully grown as a man. Someone asked me last season what is the most important thing for us first [the] next season and my answer was, ‘injury prevention’. And I didn’t know at this time that we [would] they have to face this kind of situation,” said Josephus. “We had to visit so many doctors, many physiotherapists, and other specialists. We should listen to a lot of these guys. But we have put together all the necessary pieces for Jakub to develop his charity movement, according to his strategy. ”

According to Mensik, the biomechanics of his work is the main reason for his injuries.

“After that, I changed the biomechanics a little bit,” Mensik said. “But the style of the game is the same. So there are no changes at all. However, I am improving every week. I’m trying to improve myself. And always, not just in one particular stroke.”

It is not easy to correct a stroke, especially at the height of sports. Mensik and his team worked with Mark Kovacs to do so.

“He helped us a lot because he has a good plan,” said Josephus. “[For] Jakub, very small changes so we discussed everything with Mark and Jakub is very good with this communication thing so it developed relatively quickly.

“We had to completely change the supply proposition.”

Mensik played just two events during the clay court season: Madrid and Rome. Not only did he miss the action, but he spent time injured studying for his final exams in Czech, English, then geography and sports theory.

“It was very difficult at that time. I also had final exams at school, so that was also a big part of my life, because before the Grand Slam I had final exams, and I had an elbow. [injury],” said Mensik. “I was really nervous… But I think we made a good decision to focus on school at that time and skip Roland Garros.

“Yes, it was a difficult decision, but I must say now that it was a very good decision. And after that, of course I was very happy to play on the field, without pain. And obviously, with straight A’s in school.”

Josephus added: “Jakub has finished his school and I’m very happy because it’s not that easy, at school, and he got four A’s in his final exams. In the middle of the season, along with the arm problems, he had to learn, so [it was a] a difficult program.”

To add more to the mix, Mensik changed his racquets. At the start of this season he switched to an 18×19 string pattern compared to last season’s 18×20. The 18-year-old also uses a lot of static weight, but the balance point is closer to the handle so the racquet is much lighter on the head.

“Jakub chooses his game [the] balance [to be] the head is very heavy,” said Josephus. But we got used to this new situation [with his elbow] and we are very lucky to have the opportunity to talk with Roman Prokes. Roman is from Czechoslovakia and lived many years in Europe.

“He also went with Andre Agassi. He has customized racquets for many great players, Novak Djokovic himself. He designed [Jakub’s] current racquet. He is the best and we are lucky to be connected with these guys.”

Josephus has been making contact with Prokes, including when Mensik is struggling with an elbow. That injury is behind him, and the #NextGenATP star continues to push forward.

According to Josephus, “there is not that much difference” in Mensik’s game. But with more experience and a much higher PIF ATP Ranking, the 18-year-old is chasing another big result in New York.

“It’s only about the small, tiny details, but we’re very active, [working] it is very difficult to improve the small aspects of his game,” Josephus said. “After the injury at the time [this] during the season, Jakub struggled with his arm and I am very happy that he is back and that he can play here at the Grand Slam event.”