Jakub Mensik overcame Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday to reach the French Open semifinals, becoming the youngest Czech man ever to make the last four of a Grand Slam.
While Fonseca's breakthrough run came to an end, fellow teenager Mirra Andreeva continued her impressive Roland Garros campaign, cruising past practice partner Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3 to return to the semifinals.
Just days after collapsing on the Paris clay following a grueling second-round victory in extreme heat, the 20-year-old Mensik produced a composed and mature performance under cooler conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier. His victory set up a semifinal showdown with tournament favorite Alexander Zverev.
"The last 20 to 30 minutes of the match were at an incredibly high level from both of us, with so many important moments," Mensik said after surpassing compatriot Ivan Lendl, who reached the 1981 French Open semifinals at age 21.
"Even after missing those match points when I was serving at 6-5, I stayed mentally strong and calm. I managed to raise my level in the tiebreak, and that made the difference."
