The decision by Jakub Mensik to enlist a mental coach during the later stages of the French Open has generated significant discussion, receiving both support and criticism. The 20-year-old Czech has been on a remarkable journey since his breakout season in 2025, consistently improving his performance.
Mensik made significant progress this year, achieving a historic milestone by reaching the semi-finals of the French Open. He secured notable victories against Joao Fonseca, Andrey Rublev, and Alex de Minaur.
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Despite the accolades for his outstanding performance, Mensik’s choice to work with a mental coach has not been universally accepted. Among the skeptics is Andre Agassi, a former World No. 1, who humorously criticized the decision, expressing his lack of enthusiasm for it.
“I’m not a big fan of bringing in a mental coach in the semifinals of a Slam… you’re supposed to bring in your mom at that stage. Come on mom you gotta watch me play semis. But bringing in a mental coach, seems like there is only a downside for that mental coach,” Andre Agassi, the 1999 French Open champion, said on TNT Sports.
Agassi’s comments quickly gained attention, leading to a split among fans. Some agreed with his perspective, while others were skeptical about his opinion on Mensik’s approach. A user on X commented:
“Not sure why this matters? He can prepare however he wants. They just be yapping sometimes.”
“Hmmm…that may make the player more nervous & stressed actually…especially if parent can’ control their emotions during the match,” a user added.
“So what? You don’t have to be in favour for him to do it,” a user stated.
“Americans hate Eastern European male players. I recommend they see a psychologist to get over it,” a user wrote.
“Mind boggling that a panel full of former players would make fun of a young player for having a mental coach,” a user said.
Jakub Mensik opens up about his “special” relationship with Novak Djokovic
Jakub Mensik’s impressive success has been quietly supported by Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion. Mensik shared that Djokovic, who was eliminated by Joao Fonseca in the third round, has been in regular contact with him throughout his journey.
“Yeah he did (reach out) after Rublev’s match and after Fonseca’s match yesterday. Novak is a great guy, great champion. We have a great relationship together so I’m happy that he’s following the results and that we could stay connected at least in this way,” Jakub Mensik said.
Their relationship dates back to Mensik’s early days as a junior player. He described their connection as “special” and expressed his gratitude for it.
“The relationship that we had and we are having with Novak, it’s so special and I’m super thankful for that. Basically the time when I was still not even starting on ATP Tour, I was still a junior, he invited me [to train]. He saw some potential in me,” he added.
Looking ahead in his tennis career, Jakub Mensik is anticipated to be recognized for his impressive performance at Roland Garros. Regardless of the outcome in his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev, he is expected to climb higher in the rankings.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh
