Casper Ruud’s campaign at the Australian Open came to a premature and shocking end as 19-year-old Czech prodigy Jakub Mensik delivered a sensational performance to defeat the World No. 6. The scoreline of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 reflects the teenager’s commanding presence on the court, culminating in a breathtaking forehand winner under the lights of Margaret Court Arena. Mensik, who previously reached the boys’ singles final at Melbourne Park in 2022, played with poise and maturity well beyond his years to oust the three-time Grand Slam finalist.
This remarkable victory marked one of the tournament’s most stunning upsets, closely following another teenage triumph where 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca toppled World No. 9 Andrey Rublev in another shock result. Mensik’s success has propelled him into the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the Australian Open, equalling his best performance in a major after achieving similar results twice at the U.S. Open. Ruud’s unexpected exit made him the third top-10 seed to bow out early, joining Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov in what is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Australian Opens in recent memory.
Adding to the historical significance, this marks the first instance since 2006 that two teenagers have defeated top-10 players in men’s singles at a Grand Slam. The last time this occurred, it was Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray who achieved the feat, foreshadowing their rise to the top of the sport.
Meanwhile, second-seeded German Alexander Zverev demonstrated his dominance, cruising past Spain’s Pedro Martinez with a clinical 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 victory. The Olympic gold medallist, who is chasing his first Grand Slam title, is determined to break Germany’s decades-long drought for a major win, the last being Boris Becker’s triumph at the 1996 Australian Open. Zverev now prepares for an intriguing third-round clash against Britain’s Jacob Fearnley. The Briton has been impressive, following up his win over Nick Kyrgios with a hard-fought 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 victory against Arthur Cazaux. Zverev, reflecting on his streamlined win, quipped, “Usually I play 7-6 in the fifth to entertain you guys a bit, but I’m getting older, so I have to shorten things up a little.”
In the women’s draw, Spain’s Paula Badosa put on a commanding display to dismantle Australian wildcard Talia Gibson 6-1, 6-0 in a match that lasted just 47 minutes. Badosa’s powerful groundstrokes and clinical execution left no room for her opponent to mount any resistance. The 11th seed now braces for a potentially tough test against Ukraine’s 17th seed Marta Kostyuk, whose dynamic style promises an exciting matchup. Croatian 18th seed Donna Vekic overcame an early setback to defeat lucky loser Harriet Dart 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. After shaking off a sluggish start, Vekic found her rhythm to secure her place in the next round, where she will face Russia’s 12th seed Diana Shnaider.
Coco Gauff continued her dominant run with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win over Britain’s Jodie Burrage under the bright lights of Rod Laver Arena. The American third seed seemed in control early, leading 3-1 in the second set, but faced a spirited fightback from the determined Burrage. Rallying the crowd to her side, Burrage broke Gauff’s serve twice during a thrilling four-game streak, putting herself in a position to serve for the set. However, the pressure of the moment proved too much, as back-to-back double faults handed the momentum back to Gauff. The 19-year-old capitalized on her opponent’s errors to wrap up the match in straight sets. Gauff’s consistent and aggressive play has seen her secure consecutive straight-sets victories, setting up an exciting third-round encounter with former U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
The Australian Open continues to captivate tennis fans around the world, delivering high-stakes drama, unexpected twists, and the emergence of young talent. With established stars battling to maintain their dominance and new faces making their mark, the tournament is shaping up to be a spectacle filled with intensity, passion, and the promise of more surprises in the days ahead. Fans can only wait with bated breath to see who will rise to the occasion and claim the coveted trophy in Melbourne.
