Match Details
Fixture: Novak Djokovic vs Jakub Mensik
Date: October 11, 2024
Tournament: Shanghai Masters 2024
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China
Category: ATP 1000
Surface: Hard-court
Prize Money: $8,800,000
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | Canada – TSN
Novak Djokovic vs Jakub Mensik preview
Fourth seed Novak Djokovic will take on Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday.
Djokovic has no titles to his name this year, but did win a priceless gold medal at the Paris Olympics. He went to Paris on the back of a runner-up finish at the Wimbledon Championships and outfoxed the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Musetti en route to the final. The Serb then overpowered Carlos Alcaraz to secure the gold medal 7-6(3), 7-6(2).
The 37-year-old has looked sharp in Shanghai so far with confident wins over Alex Michelsen, Flavio Cobolli, and Roman Safiullin. The Serb hardly broke a sweat against Safiullin in the fourth round and outclassed the Russian in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Jakub Mensik, meanwhile, has had an encouraging season so far with 23 wins from 38 matches, including a run to the final at the Qatar Open. He also reached the semifinals of the Umag Open and the third round of the US Open, where he lost to Nuno Borges in a five-set bout.
The Czech entered Shanghai on the back of a third round exit in Beijing. He defeated the likes of Andrey Rublev and Alexander Shevchenko en route to the fourth round and then brushed aside Grigor Dimtrov to book his ticket in the quarterfinals. Mensik humbled the Bulgarian Dimitrov in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic vs Jakub Mensik head-to-head
The head-to-head between Djokovic and Mensik is locked at 0-0.
Novak Djokovic vs Jakub Mensik odds
Odds will be updated when available.
Novak Djokovic vs Jakub Mensik prediction
Novak Djokvoic is starting to look in prime form as he enters the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters for the 10th time in his career. He won 88% of his first serve points in his last match and held his serve at all times against Safiullin. The Serb is yet to drop a set in the Masters 1000 event.
Mensik, on the contrary, has made his fourth quarterfinal of the year. He won 78% of his first serve points and rocketed 10 aces against Dimitrov. Against a player like Djokovic, he will need to have a plan B or even a plan C to withstand the heavy pressure and have a say in this bout.
Djokovic is a four-time champion at the Shanghai Masters and will undoubtedly be the favorite to come out on top. If Mensik forces him to think out of the box, we could have an interesting match on our hands. But it is most likely that the fourth seed neutralizes Mensik’s potent all-round game and continues his run to the semifinals.
Pick: Djokovic to win in straight-sets.
