In an intense match, world number 17 Karen Khachanov defeated 18-year-old Czech prodigy Jakub Mensik, 7-6 (14-12), 6-4, to secure his sixth ATP tour title.
Throughout the competition, the 27-year-old Khachanov showed off his skills, winning all of his sets and taking home the Doha title. On the other hand, Mensik’s incredible talent allowed him to become the first adolescent to advance to the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2024 final.
Mensik hammered 16 aces in the final match, putting on a remarkable display. In an on-court interview, Khachanov acknowledged Mensik’s strong play and stated, “For a minute, I thought I was playing John Isner and not Jakub Mensik today.” ATP was able to obtain this remark from Khachanov.
The Russian player took the lead in the fourth game with a forehand return at 12/13 on Mensik’s second serve, capping four set opportunities in the opening set. Khachanov used his momentum to break Mensik’s serve in the opening game of the second set, ruining the teenager’s perfect week.
Mensik, who is ranked 116th in the world, advanced to the final after defeating seasoned opponents such as world number five Andrey Rublev and former world number one Andy Murray. Mensik considered his incredible voyage despite his difficult loss, stating, “This week will definitely be unforgettable for me.” I didn’t even make it to this event based on my own ranking from the start. I attempted to savour every second I spent on the court because I had to use the Next Gen spot.
“I never thought I would make it to the final. I’m quite pleased with my performance, therefore. It was a fantastic match, but we had a hard loss today, which makes me both happy and sad at the same time.
Khachanov won his first title since September of last year, thanks to an 83% success rate on his opening delivery and a strong performance devoid of breakpoints. During a post-match interview, he said, “Every championship is unique.” Your goal is to win every time. At the end of the day, you compete every week, and we play in about 22 events per season.
“It is undoubtedly one of the nicest trophies here in Doha.”
Tariq Zainal, the secretary-general of the Qatar Tennis Federation, expressed optimism about the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2024, which has been elevated to 500 level, continuing to be a success.
Zainal praised the fierce rivalry in the tournament, pointing out that the match between Karen Khachanov and Jakub Mensik at the summit was a fun demonstration of tennis skill.
Mensik’s outstanding performance was noted by Zainal, who predicted that the 18-year-old would have a promising career in tennis. Mensik’s triumphs over highly regarded players, including as Murray and Rublev, were commended by him, and he also mentioned the young player’s possible rise to prominence in the tennis world.
Highlighting the tournament’s elevated standing to 500, Zainal disclosed that the Qatar ExxonMobil Open would become even more significant as it enters the elite 16 of its category starting with the upcoming edition.
More cash prizes and a bigger role for the top ten seeds are among the anticipated adjustments.