In a clash between two youngsters tipped to challenge the leading lights of tennis, Jakub Mensik outlasted younger opponent Joao Fonseca to book a place in his first grand slam semi-final at Roland-Garros. The match mirrored early clashes between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner: the flashy, hyped shotmaker against the more brutal, clinical machine. This time, Mensik's precise serving and delicate net play prevailed over Fonseca's spectacular but erratic tennis.
First Two Sets Domination
The Czech sped through the first two sets before a sudden drop-off in the third. Fonseca pulled ahead but was pegged back several times, eventually falling 6-4 6-4 7-6(3) after saving six match points. "I'm still in the match a little bit," a shellshocked Mensik said. "Great guy, great competitor. We started a little bit nervous and at the end there were some incredible shots. The tiebreak was one of my best performances."
It became clear early that 26th seed Mensik faced not only the young Brazilian but also a crowd heavily in Fonseca's favour. The first roars of "Come on Joao" erupted before warm-up ended. Fonseca responded with clever points, but Mensik found his game, venturing to the net with increasing success. He broke for 3-2 and earned another break point at 4-2, but Fonseca settled to keep the deficit to one game. Mensik remained resolute, hitting 15 winners to nine unforced errors in the first set.
Second Set and Fonseca's Fightback
Mensik's patient game continued into the second set. From 40-0 up at 2-2, Fonseca wilted with a double fault and two unforced errors, letting Mensik back in. The Czech was clean on serve, delicate at the net, and a wall in defence, sealing the game with a sharply angled drop shot. Fonseca saved a set point with a laser forehand but double faulted to give Mensik a second chance, and the Czech won a superb 12-shot rally as Fonseca fired wide.
By the end of the second set, Mensik had faced no break points. But Fonseca left the court to regroup and returned a different player. His belief and aggression were back, and his forehand fired again. Mensik hit three double faults in his opening service game to be broken for the first time. "Allez!" roared Fonseca, and Brazil flags waved.
Topsy-Turvy Third Set
Having come back from two sets down twice this tournament, against Dino Prizmic and Novak Djokovic, Fonseca seemed poised to do it again. But Mensik shook out his leg after the third game, revealing the toll of 10 days of tennis. Errors crept into Fonseca's game, and though he saved three break points, Mensik broke back with a drop shot. Both heads dropped; Mensik shanked an overhead he would have made easily earlier.
Fonseca broke for 4-3, but tension rose. He betrayed his age with a poorly chosen 205km/h second serve on 30-30. Mensik battled back, and two shanked forehands by Fonseca handed over another break for 5-5. Fonseca's level dipped while serving to stay in at 6-5, but Mensik, on his second match point, shanked an overhead. Both produced sparkling tennis in a backs-to-the-wall game, but Mensik could not convert any of six match points, handing over the game after seven deuces with a backhand into the net.
Tiebreak Decider
Mensik rediscovered his serve in the tiebreak, pulling ahead to earn a seventh match point at 6-3. His angled cross-court drop shot sealed the deal. The pair shared a warm embrace, and the partisan crowd applauded both. Roland-Garros 2026 has seen the young generation arrive, but their task gets tougher.
Fonseca spent 14.5 hours on court to reach the quarter-finals; Mensik spent 13. Mensik's semi-final opponent, Alexander Zverev, spent only nine hours to reach the last eight, dropping only one set across five matches. He goes into Friday's last-four meeting with four hours less court time and an extra day to recover. Mensik collapsed with heat exhaustion after his second-round win over Mariano Navone; his body has been under more strain than the experienced second seed, who reaches his fifth French Open semi-final in six years. Mensik will need all his mental fortitude and more spring in his step to cement his generation as the danger men of this tournament.
