Mensik Credits 'Lucky' Messi Handshake for Miami Open Semi-Final Win

Czech teenager Jakub Mensik credited a lucky handshake with Lionel Messi for inspiring his semi-final win over Taylor Fritz at the Miami Open.

Jakub Mensik, a 19-year-old tennis player, received an unexpected boost before the Miami Open semi-finals when he met Lionel Messi. This encounter seemed to inspire Mensik, as he went on to upset world number four Taylor Fritz on Friday, advancing to his first Masters 1000 final. There, he will face Novak Djokovic.

Mensik had a memorable interaction with Messi, shaking hands with the Argentine soccer legend. After securing the biggest win of his career, Mensik expressed his gratitude by writing “Thx Leo” on a camera lens. When asked about the encounter, Mensik joked, “I was shaking his hand... kind of chilling with him a little bit. I didn't wash my hand before I stepped on the court, and probably that was the key for today.”

I found a goat in the player's locker room…
Pleasure to meet you legend. 🫶🇦🇷 #thegod #adidas pic.twitter.com/6ciBNUjc5P

— Jakub Mensik (@mensik_jakub_) March 29, 2025

Saturday's Miami Open final will feature a thrilling matchup between Jakub Mensik and Novak Djokovic, who is on the cusp of achieving a historic milestone - his 100th career title.

Mensik says Leo Messi was the key to beating Fritz in Miami

“You got a pic with Messi before the match. That was the key right?”

Jakub: “Yeah exactly. I shook his hand. I was kind of chilling with him a bit so I didn’t wash my hand before stepping on court. That was the key for… pic.twitter.com/p18443y7Bp

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 29, 2025

For Mensik, facing Djokovic will be a daunting task, as the Serbian tennis legend is not only his opponent but also his idol. In an interview with ATP Tour last year, Mensik revealed, “My tennis inspiration is Novak Djokovic. Because of him, I started to play tennis. He's my biggest idol.” The two players have met once before, at the Shanghai Masters in October, where Djokovic emerged victorious in straight sets.