Jakub Mensik stuns Sinner in Doha with biggest career win | ATP Tour

In Doha

Mensik surprises Sinner in Doha with the biggest win of his career

The 20-year-old Czech sets up a semi-final meeting with Fils in Qatar

February 19, 2026

Jakub Mensik has pedigree when it comes to causing upsets at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. However, the 20-year-old hit the ATP 500 mark on Thursday, when he stunned World No. 2 Jannik Sinner with a superb performance in the quarter-final.

Mensik upset Sinner 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 for the biggest win of his career according to the PIF ATP Rankings. Two years ago, the Czech notched his first Top 5 win over Andrey Rublev when he ran into the championship match in Doha. On Thursday night, he made a bold decision to win his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Sinner and book a semi-final meeting with Arthur Fils.

It deserves to be greeted 🫡

2024 final @mensik_jakub_ posts his first Top 3 win @QatarTennis | #QatarExxonMobilOpen pic.twitter.com/ZW36RRgFT9

– ATP Tour (@atptour) February 19, 2026

“I don’t know, to be honest,” said Mensik, when asked how he sealed his victory. “Before the match I knew about Jannik’s level. He’s a top-class guy, a top-class champion. Already what he’s done in his young career, it’s very impressive, so I knew it would be difficult. But even with that thought, I came to this match to win, and I actually have the mindset to win.

“I worked very well, even if the conditions were starting to be a bit slow at night. It was a very difficult mental battle. After the second set, when I lost a little energy, I’m very happy that I came back after the toilet break and from the beginning of the third set, I just started working well again. I’m very happy with the performance I showed today.”

Mensik produced an endlessly immersive performance for Sinner. He won 82 percent (49/60) of the points after his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and recovered impressively in the third set after a mid-match slump.

The Czech took the first hole in the quarter-final match with a 0/40 escape and saved four break points to take the third game. As his serve began to heat up, Mensik did not face another break point in the set and won five of the last seven break points, clinching the set with a powerful forehand that left Sinner helpless.

Sinner’s reaction to dropping the first set of his first Doha campaign was emphatic. He quickly leveled the game, running four games in a row from 2-2, however with the help of Mensik. The Czech was unable to maintain his early form from the line and produced three double faults, including two on the way to a break in the sixth game.

However, there was nothing Soni could do about Mensik’s fate. Continuing to take his shot whenever he had the chance to speak, the sixth seed served in the opening and closing games of the deciding set to complete a famous victory lasting two hours, 12 minutes. The Czech, who is chasing his second ATP Tour title of 2026 after winning Auckland in the first week of the year, made his way to the net to hug Sinner after the service.

2025 Miami champion Mensik is now 4-2 against top 5 opponents, a tally that includes wins against members of ATP No. 1 in the ATP Novak Djokovic and Sinner, and rose three places to No. 13 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings thanks to his performances in Doha so far. He will bid to reach the final in the Qatari capital for the second time on Friday, when he faces 21-year-old Fils.

Returning to action earlier this month after playing just two matches in the past eight months due to a back injury, Frenchman Fils earned his first semi-final appearance since last April with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Jiri Lehecka.

“I didn’t know I would play that well so quickly,” said Fils in a press conference after the game. “You don’t know what to expect when you come back from injury in, what, six to eight months.

“[I’m] I’m very happy with the way I’m playing now. Not my best tennis so far, but we’re getting there. I just need to fight every game to play more balls, play more games, sets, points, to get ready again, to get better and better.”