Mensik Outlasts Rublev in Five Sets to Reach First Grand Slam Quarter-Final

Mensik beats Rublev to make French Open last 8

After a 3-0 first-set deficit, Jakub Mensik recovered to beat Andrey Rublev in five sets and surpass his previous best major result from Melbourne.

20-year-old Jakub Mensik won a 5-set thriller over Andrey Rublev at Roland Garros, sealing it with an ace after 3 hours 45 minutes...

Jakub Mensik survived a Andrey Rublev fightback to make the French Open quarter-finals on Sunday. The 20-year-old Czech won his first ever Grand Slam last-8 spot in a five-set battle.

Mensik knocked out 11th seed Rublev 6-3, 7-6(8-6), 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. He’ll face Joao Fonseca.

Mensik won Miami last year and his best Grand Slam result before this was the fourth round in Melbourne earlier in 2026. He went one better in Paris by beating Rublev at the same stage to reach his first major quarter-final.

Rublev came out firing and raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set. Mensik hit back immediately though, reeling off six straight games to take the opener.

Mensik had a chance to close out the second set at 5-4 but Rublev broke back. He didn’t waste the second chance though, taking the tiebreak 8-6 after a backhand winner that left Rublev flat-footed.

A rollercoaster match in Paris 🎢🎾

Mensik saw a two-set lead disappear, but held his nerve in the fifth to book his place in the quarterfinals 🎟️✅#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/1PPswRGcUY

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2026

Rublev hit straight back. He broke Mensik in the first game of the third set and held serve to push it to a fourth.

Both guys struggled on serve to start the fourth. Three straight breaks opened the set before Rublev steadied, held, then broke again to go up 4-1 and take control.

Mensik regrouped on serve in the fifth and landed the key break in the eighth game. He then sealed it with a massive ace on his first match point, wrapping up the win after 3 hours 45 minutes.