Jakub Mensik collapsed to the court and was unable to move for several minutes after triumphing in a gruelling four-hour and 41-minute marathon against Mariano Navone at the French Open. The 26th seed squandered a couple of match points during the fifth and final set, with everything hinging on a 10-point match tiebreak.
Mensik held a 9-7 lead in the breaker and had further match points at his disposal, but began suffering from cramp as the contest stretched beyond four-and-a-half hours. He was handed a time violation for excessive delays between points and could hardly move around the court. Remarkably, he converted his eighth match point to seal a 6-3 2-6 6-4 2-6 7-6(11) triumph.
As the ball floated into the air, the Czech star could barely step forward to play the overhead. He clutched his thigh in agony as he struck it, and having finally secured the win, immediately crumpled to the ground in distress. It proved to be a costly move.
Mensik’s body completely seized up, leaving him unable to rise. Navone eventually made his way around to his opponent’s side of the court to shake hands, though the 26th seed appeared to wave away any offer of assistance.
His entourage had been celebrating jubilantly in the stands of the compact Court 6, but grew visibly worried as Mensik remained grounded. The 20-year-old attempted to use his momentum to push himself upright, but could barely raise his upper body before slumping back down.
The umpire and physio rushed over immediately, with Mensik using one of the ice towels as a makeshift pillow to cool down while the trainer attempted to assist him. But multiple medics were soon required as he battled severe cramping and found it difficult to stand.
“I don’t know who I feel for more, for Navone walking off the court and seeing the man that has just beaten him lying on the middle of the court in utter distress and pain, or for Jakub Mensik, I mean, how on earth does he recover after a match like that?” Anne Keothavong said on TNT Sports.
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View 2 ImagesMedics rushed to Court 6 to aid a cramping Jakub Mensik after he won in five sets(Image: TNT Sports)
“And I was also thinking, ‘Why on earth is it taking so long for somebody to come over and help him?’ The guy was in pain throughout that match tiebreak.”
Mensik was finally helped to his feet and managed to leave the court unaided. Yet he still appeared far from fully recovered and required a wheelchair for the brief journey from Court 6 to the player area, where he once more walked off independently.
He will now come up against No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur, who has enjoyed a vastly different path to the third round. The Australian received a walkover after Alexander Blockx pulled out of the tournament having sprained his ankle during a practice session.