Match Stats/Report - Mensik vs Djokovic, Miami final, 2025

[Waspsting]

Jakub Mensik beat Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in the Miami final, 2025 on hard court

The 19-year old Mensik was unseeded and this was his first career title. Djokovic was playing in a record equaling 8th final at the event and seeking a record breaking 7th title and a 100th career title

Mensik won 76 points, Djokovic 76

Serve Stats
Mensik...
- 1st serve percentage (52/78) 67%
- 1st serve points won (40/52) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (14/26) 53%
- Aces 15 (1 not clean), Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (33/78) 42%

Djokovic...
- 1st serve percentage (56/74) 76%
- 1st serve points won (43/56) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (9/18) 50%
- Aces 7
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/74) 28%

Serve Patterns
Mensik served...
- to FH 44%
- to BH 52%
- to Body 4%

Djokovic served...
- to FH 55%
- to BH 42%
- to Body 3%

Return Stats
Mensik made...
- 52 (30 FH, 22 BH)
- 14 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 10 Forced (4 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (52/73) 71%

Djokovic made...
- 44 (21 FH, 23 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (4 FH, 1 BH)
- 12 Forced (4 FH, 8 BH)
- Return Rate (44/77) 57%

Break Points
Mensik 1/3 (2 games)
Djokovic 1/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Mensik 18 (7 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 4 OH, 1 BHOH)
Djokovic 19 (11 FH, 6 BH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)

Mensik's FHs - 2 cc (1 at net), 2 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl (with opponent on the floor), 1 drop shot at net, 1 running-down-drop-shot at net cc pass
- BHs - 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 drop shot

- 1 from a serve-volley point, a first volley, swinging inside-out FHV
- 1 OH was on the bounce from just behind the service line

Djokovic's FHs - 2 cc, 2 dtl passes, 1 dtl/inside-out, 4 inside-out, 1 inside-in, 1 drop shot
- BHs - 1 cc, 1 cc/down-the-middle return (that opponent left), 3 dtl (1 pass at net), 1 inside-out

- the OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Mensik 35
- 20 Unforced (14 FH, 6 BH)
- 15 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 Tweener)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45

Djokovic 24
- 19 Unforced (11 FH, 8 BH)
- 5 Forced (1 FH, 4 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.3

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Mensik was...
- 11/22 (50%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve...
---
- 1/5 (20%) forced back/retreated

Djokovic was 11/14 (79%) at net with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Good, server controlled and very close match. Serve shot itself is Mensik’s chief boon and he has no weak points to his showing. Djokovic’s less serve dependent, though using the first shot to good effect too, more well rounded. And things come out virtually even between the two. Djokovic’s stamina is wearing thin at end, he has a slow start, he’s a little off in the two tiebreaks to all nudge result Mensik’s way. Court is normal

Both players win 76 points. Djoko serves of them 74 of them
But Mensik has better of breaks points - 1/3 (2 games) to 1/1

Call both negligible differences and two players essentially equal. Result is what it is because someone has to win

A few points that shape the final result

- by the end, Djoko seems to be physically fading. Its not too long a match, but it is exceptionally humid. Way action is going near end of second set, would favour Mensik to come out on top if match goes to decider. Mensik appears normal of energy level

- at crunch times, Mensik rallies tough with Djoko and wins his fair share of points
Djoko generally has better of baseline rallies, for basic reason of being more consistent off the ground. He can and does grind opponent down

That tends to change in tight situations (like both tiebreaks, but not just those), and Mensik gives as good as he gets and shaves back on the errors

Very similar to the ‘89 US Open final, where Ivan Lendl readily outlasted Boris Becker for errors in baseline rallies most of match, but Becker pulled up his socks in that area at important times. That match also finished with 2 players winning exactly same number of points

Some sloppiness from Djoko with the errors at the end, though that’s probably related to being physically worn down

Unreturned serves - Mensik 42%, Djoko 28%, is where Mensik scores big
Errors Forced - Djoko 15, Mensik 5 is where Djoko to cancels it out (winners and UEs are virtually same, Djoko with a 1 point advantage on both)

On the freebies front, that’s a pretty good job by Mensik to keep Djoko to 28%. Djoko serves at 76%, including around 90% for most of first set. Toned down serving to get that high a lot in, but still. 35%+ freebies wouldn’t be surprising. Credit Mensik for it not being so

Mensik serves superbly. 1/12 regular days does he not serve an ace or his sole service winner. His serve is hovering on being ‘big’, but not top tier so (like Raonic for example). Its certainly big enough to be damaging - and he hits his spots perfectly with them. Combo of power and placement is what makes it effective. Many of his aces are perfect and would be aces against anyone and on any surface

On FEs front, Djoko having relatively low freebies means he’s starting relatively high lot of rallies from strong position - and takes it from there to win points with moderate aggression. That much is normal, but its not whole story and Djoko does play particularly well for gaining such a big advantage (as opposed to merely serving well and having that set up straighforward follow-up attack), out manuvering Mensik in rallies that get going and finishing with authority

Another reason is net play. If Mensik is unable to over-power or outmanuver Djoko enough to directly force errors in baseline rallies, he can and does take moderate advantage and come to net
Wins just 10/21 so doing. Including being forced back 4 times (loses all the points), and those aren’t from ‘moderate advantage’, but much stronger than that. 80% type situations, and Djoko ekes out the points with defensive lobs. He doesn’t force a passing error, Djoko forces 5

Potentially costly move for Djoko is playing drop shots instead of attacking net
He’s usually stronger player off the ground, with corresponding chances to come in
Wins 11/14 at net. Doesn’t have miss a single volley
Around this period, net play as finisher is quite common part of Djoko’s game
Yet the it’s the more-often-than-not reactive Mensik whose rallied his way to net 21 times

And Djoko misses a bunch of drop shots and plays other bad ones that lose him points. Sort of position where he’s pushed Mensik well behind baseline, where creating a strong approach is at least as easy as drop shot (easier probably). Bad choice from Djoko. Not too unusual for him. He’s always liked his drop shots and never been particularly good at them

Serve & Return
First serve in - Mensik 67%, Djoko 76%

Great figures for both players, in line with size of serve (Mensik bigger, Djoko good). Not just size of serve, but placement too

Aces/Service Winners - Mensik 16, Djoko 7
First serve ace/SW rate - Mensik 31%, Djoko 13%

Fair reflection of quality of Mensik’s serve. And credit Mensik’s returning for keeping Djoko down that low. He’s no slow poke moving for wide returns

Return errors are virtually same -
UEs - Mensik 4, Djoko 5
FEs - Mensik 10, Djoko 12
… and both have just 1 double fault (Mensik from 26 second serves, Djoko 18)

 

[Waspsting]

So the main difference in 42% to 28% gap in freebies in Mensik’s large haul of aces. Most of which are thoroughly untouchable
Both players with good returns to second serves. For Djoko, normal enough. Mensik gets his share of to-the-baseline returns too

With the serving so good, the most important aspect of returning becomes ability to handle difficult returns

Mensik doing well there. Djoko’s serve is toned down, but still a good serve. Mensik making good few tough returns. Djoko’s not bad, but faced with more formidable task. Could do to put a few more tough returns back - but its fairer to say he’d have done well to do so, rather than he does badly not to

For all the very good serving, both players win ‘just’ 77% first serve points
With Djoko leading in count by 11%, that’s a definite win for him
Definite, relative win. Both players numbers are good to be holding on - leaving things likely to be decided by margins that defy numbers. Still, better to serve 76% than 67%, whether points won are 90% or 50%, and Djoko with better of things here, despite Mensik with a particularly brutal first serve

Play - Baseline (& Net)
Mostly normal, dual winged baseline stuff, with solidly good hitting. Mensik with powerful FH, solid BH game, Djoko similar and taking the ball aggressively early beyond his norm

In baseline rallies -
- Winners - Mensik 7 (excluding a virtual net point smash on bounce), Djoko 14
- Errors forced - Mensik 5, Djoko 7
- UEs - both 19

The most important stat there is the UEs and its important for reasons mentioned earlier
Usually, Djoko grinds Mensik down. Looks like run-of-mill 1 player more consistent than other deal. Pretty standard stuff for a Djoko match
When things get tight, Mensik ups his toughness, rallies are longer and its often Djoko that ends up giving up the error. Would be unwise of Djoko to count on ability to simply hit one more solid groundie than opponent to win

Neutral UEs virtually same (Mensik 12, Djoko 11)
The staple rallies are solid. Mensik moves well, even slides to defend, hits firmly off both wings. Djoko similar - hitting more firmly, changing directions more readily, probably not moving as well but also, not needing to. Able to push Mensik back more often than the opposite

With Mensik at times easily giving up UEs much of time, he’s actually got better of the error contest when it counts most

Attacking UEs - Mensik 6, Djoko 4, to go with the error forced (Mensik 5, Djoko 7)
Most of the 5 errors Mensik forces are with deep returns (the corresponding UEs for which aren’t counted in this section), so he has little success finishing Djoko off in rallies. Djoko doing better here - even more than stats suggest

Winner attempt UEs - Mensik 2, Djoko 4, to go with the winners (Mensik 7, Djoko 14)
Identical ratios, Djoko on offence much more and hence, doing better
He does take a number of third balls uncharacteristically early, drilling them with finality

Rallying to net - Mensik 10/21, Djoko 11/14
It’s a good move by Mensik to come to net when he’s commanded rally. He comes in off strong or even very strong approaches and volleys fine. Normal placement and punch, and he’s certainly no plonk volleyer

All credit to Djoko’s passing for how badly Mensik does at net. Djoko has 3 passing winners, no errors and forces 3 volleying errors (there are not volley UEs)
Mensik’s 0/4 forced back from net. Those are near overwhelming approach shots that Djoko’s able to successfully defensively lob his way back into point - and go onto win

And Djoko for his part doing very well at net, though not looking to use it much. Couple winners, no errors of any kind. While he’s gotten better of Mensik in almost all areas from the baseline, its not to winning 11/14 points extent. As the player usually dictating from back, plenty of room for Djoko to come in more if he wants. Apparently, he doesn’t want

He does fool around with stupid drop shots that lose him important points. Just as easy to come to net

It looks like Djokovic’s got better of everything - basic consistency (call it even), moderate attacking, decisive attacking, baseline, net. Non statistically, he’s dictating action more often
All those advantages put together just about cancels out his -14% on freebies

Gist - good stuff. More than good from Djoko with 19 winners, 19 UEs, forcing 15 errors. Could be better with more trips to net, fewer drop shotting tomfoolery
He’s controlled play, successfully been aggressively striking early and with finality on the FH, been strong off the ground

Mensik’s 18 winners, 20 UEs isn’t too shabby either
He’s matched Djoko shot for shot when it matters most. Possibility of rushing ahead with successful net play is thwarted by outstanding passing from Djoko (all credit to Djoko for that)
And he’s struck a good balance in willingness to go for winners from not-obvious positions or continue the rally

Djoko’s better in court action. Enough to overcome 28% to 42% handicap on freebies?
With final points tally being 76 apiece, apparently cancel it out, not overcome it - leaving result up to small, unpredictable ‘big points’ stuff

Mensik is clutch - both with the serve and in his play. And Djoko’s physically fading by the end, so prospects for second tiebreak in Mensik’s favour

Match Progression
Bad early game from Djoko to get broken for 0-2, with 4 ground UEs. 1 is a BH to a deep ball, but other 3 are attacking or more FHs. Only point he wins in the game is with a not-good drop shot
Well crafted game by Djoko to break back for 3-4, with deepish shots and returns and a brilliant FH cc - BH cc 1-2

Sans the two breaks, routine holds for both players

Mensik with big serves doing the work
Djoko less big, but he can’t seem to miss a first serve. Has a run of making 19 straight first serves and lands 23/27 heading into the ‘breaker
Mensik’s occasionally loose, if not sloppy off the ground. Djoko’s occasionally masterful in attacking via combo of power and width. He’s a little slow to move for returns

Tiebreak
Mensik not surprisingly starts with an ace
Net chord dribbling return turns the next point lively, but it takes an excellent, jumping BHOH winner by Mensik to win it
Poor third ball FH UE from Djoko - and he’s down 0-3
5-0 soon after - makeably tough return error and silly drop shot attempt one

Not bad from Djoko to make scoreline more respectable from there
Not far from making it close even. Good, wide serve at 4-6 down, but Mensik with a stretched deep return that’s reminscient of his opponent - and he goes on to seize control of point and finish with a smash winner

Djokovic serves wider, and his in count falls to 73% in second set (in first, it was 79%)

Just the 1 game with break points in it. Djoko saves 2 of them to hold for 3-2
Double fault and another not good drop shot sets Djoko down 30-40, and he responds with a very strong serve to reach deuce. Brilliant point by Mensik, who defends his way to equality before ramming a BH dtl winner to raise another break point. Djoko takes net early to save that one, before going on to hold

Mensik with a deuce hold for 4-4, with couple good deep returns from Djoko, but he also misses a rare, routine first serve return (rare as in Mensik rarely hits one of those) and curiously, Djoko making no effort to return an ace at 40-30 that’s worth lunging for
By contrast, a triple lunge wouldn’t do any good against the ace that Mensik ends the game with

As set counts down to another tiebreaker, Djoko shows signs of tiring. He collapses after one rally and his movement drops below average. Few careless or/and sloppy ground UEs too. Survives a deuce game to hold for 6-5

Tiebreak. Djoko misses third ball against a decent return to get things started. Gains the mini back soon after with a big FH cc, and falls behind soon after when he’s outlasted in a tough rally, after which he collapses to the ground

Mensik missing an attacking BH cc to open court puts things back on serve at 4-3, but Djoko loses next 2 service points - a soft FH UE and BH UE, with Mensik starting rally with a return to the baseline
Mensik leaves Djoko’s down-the-middle return that lands in for a winner after that, before striking a winning serve to wrap up

Summing up, good match from both players with very little in the result

Serve is standout for Mensik. It’s a pacey serve, but it’s the placement on top of that that puts it over into top category. He’s not wanting in any area - makes some tough returns, gets some returns right to the baseline (both squeezing them and bopping them), moves well, defends or counter-punches with gusto when really needed. Powerful FH, solidly strong BH. Even slides to defend. A teenager with a bright future

Djokovic striking great balance in getting a huge lot of first serves in and the force of those serves. He’s often masterful from the baseline - dictating rallies most of the time, with above personal-par early taken, attacking FHs in particular

Few other points of interest
- Djokovic’s choice to attack with drop shots instead of approaching is questionable. Djokovic passes superbly, to maintain superiority in court action. Well done, probably not the kind of thing one would want to count on doing regularly
- Room for improvement in Djokovic’s handling of tough serves, but by far, more credit to Mensik for high quality serving
- Mensik, when the chips are down, able to hold his own trading groundies with the master of that sort of things
- And Djokovic with inferior stamina of the two, and physically weaker by the end

Most of the above are minor matters, amidst high quality play from both players, but it’s a match decided by minor margins, and most of them are in Mensik’s favour