Czech teenager Jakub Mensik rallied from one set down to beat Fabio Fognini 4-6 6-3 7-5 at the Mallorca Championships earning his second consecutive three-set win. One day earlier Mensik became the youngest match winner in tournament history with his win over defending champion Christopher Eubanks.
Mensik hit 11 aces and won 80% of his first serve points.
Mensik broke in the fourth game to take a 4-1 lead in the first set. Fognini won five consecutive games with two breaks of serve to win the first set 6-4.
Mensik earned a break in the second game to seal the second set 6-3.
Both players traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games to draw level to 3-3. Mensik earned his decisive break in the 11th game to seal the third set 7-5.
“It was a crazy match from the beginning. The first 40 minutes, we played three games. I don’t know what happened. I did not experience this before. I am really happy that I kept playing after the first set that I was 4-1 up and I still lost. I am really happy that I came back. It was a tough match. Fabio played really well. It was difficult from the beginning”, said Mensik.
Mensik, who is second in the ATP Next Gen Live Race to Jeddah, set up a quarter final match against Alejandro Tabilo, who beat Alejandro Tabilo, who beat Alexander Schevchenko 6-3 6-2.
Ben Shelton cruised past Rinki Hijikata 6-4 6-0 to win his first match of the season on grass and his third overall on this surface. Shelton saved all six break points he faced.
“It was a really fun match today. I am happy to be back in Mallorca. I love playing here. I had a really tough first match here last year, losing 7-6 in the third set to eventual champion Christopher Eubanks, so I am really happy to get my first win here. I am really pleased with how I played today. I am getting used to grass day by day”, said Shelton.
Shelton set up a quarter final match against Bitish qualifier Paul Judd, who beat Australia’s Adam Walton 6-0 6-3 to advance to his first quarter final at ATP Tour level.
