US Open: Jakub Mensik stuns Auger-Aliassime in 1st round; Goffin, Thompson, Navone also win
New York: Czech youngster Jakub Mensik clinched a superb win at the US Open, handing World No. 19 Felix Auger-Aliassime a stunning straight-sets defeat in a men’s singles first-round match here on Tuesday.
Mensik, ranked 65th in the ATP Rankings, lit up the morning schedule with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Auger-Aliassime to record his third Top 20 win of the season.
The 18-year-old had earned a breakthrough in New York last year when he reached the third round at Flushing Meadows on his Grand Slam debut. Twelve months on, Mensik once again put on a show to dispatch Canadian Auger-Aliassime after two hours and four minutes and reach the second round.
Mensik won 89 per cent (40/45) of his first-serve points and fired 25 winners to level the pair’s ATP head-to-head series at 1-1. He will next play the winner of the match between Australian wild card Tristan Schoolkate and Japan’s Taro Daniel.
Mensik has enjoyed an impressive season, highlighted by his run to the final in Doha. The 18-year-old is fourth in the ATP Live Race To Jeddah and aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals in December.
Auger-Aliassime reached the semifinals at the US Open in 2021. The Canadian’s best result this season was a run to the title match at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid.
Meanwhile, in another first-round match, David Goffin of Belgium advanced to the second round, beating Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 7-6(7), 6-1, 7-5 in two hours and 21 minutes on Court 11 while Jordan Thompson of Australia defeated Constant Lestienne of France 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 while Mariano Navone of Argentina prevailed over Daniel Altmaier of Germany 1-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in two hour 37 minutes on Court 4.