Mensik Survives Navone Epic, Slams French Open Heat Conditions

Mensik beats navone in five-set marathon, suffers cramp

Mensik Calls French Open Heat ‘Insane’ After Collapsing Post-Win. The Czech needed eight match points to advance, then collapsed with cramp and criticized heat play conditions ahead of his clash with Alex de Minaur.

After a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(11) battle on Court Six, Mensik questioned rules on playing speed vs. delays for spectators...

Jakub Mensik called it “insane” to play a long match at the French Open in 30C+ heat on Wednesday, after going down with cramp on court right after beating Mariano Navone.

The 20-year-old needed eight match points to close out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(11) win that lasted 4 hours and 41 minutes on Court Six, with no shade from the sun.

“It's insane to play in this weather, especially in front of the sun, to be there for more than four and a half hours, it's just insane,” Mensik told reporters.

“Even with the breaks, you don't have that much time, the ball boy can't bring you a towel.

“During the changeover, you have just one minute, which obviously by the time you sit, it's already just 30 seconds, so there's not much time to cool yourself down.”

Mensik dropped to the clay the moment he hit the winning forehand.

When Navone came over to congratulate him, Mensik tried to stand but couldn’t get off his back. The umpire paused for several seconds before stepping in, and medical staff eventually came on court to help him.

“The referee today, what happened after the match, I will keep to myself, but the behaviour of that... I don't respect that,” he added without elaborating further.

No. 26 Jakub Mensik collapsed after a 4 hour 41 minute match with Mariano Navone 😳 pic.twitter.com/76kDoPAbWh

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) May 27, 2026

Mensik said he understood “rules are rules,” but pointed out the contrast between how strictly players are pushed to keep play moving and how quickly umpires stop a match when a spectator falls ill.

“I was really struggling on the last point,” he said.

“When I hit the last point, the last winner, the emotions went out, and of course, my body just turned off, so at the time, I wasn't able to do anything.”

Incredible scenes at the end of the Mensik and Navone match at Roland Garros.

Jakub wins the match and falls to the ground.

He can’t get up.

He was cramping during the tiebreak.

Navone walks over to his side of the net to congratulate him.

Jakub still can’t get up, and the… pic.twitter.com/nVADsbFMz9

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 27, 2026

Mensik returns to court on Friday for a matchup with 8th seed Alex de Minaur. De Minaur hasn’t played since Monday, getting a walkover into the third round after his opponent Alexander Blockx withdrew injured.