Australian Open: Ruud's major wait continues after Mensik defeat

Casper Ruud's wait for a first grand slam title goes on after he was comfortably beaten by Czechia's Jakub Mensik in the Australian Open second round on Tuesday.

Ruud, who has never gone past the fourth round in Melbourne, was handed an early exit from this year's tournament after being beaten 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 by Mensik.

The first ever meeting between the two players started brightly, but it was teenager Mensik who earned the early advantage, breaking Ruud in the fifth game of the first set.

World number 48 Mensik broke again when faced with Ruud's serve soon after, seeing out the opening set to edge closer to a best career result in a grand slam event.

Ruud was undefeated at the Australian Open after taking the opening set (7-0) and found himself on the backfoot at Melbourne Park. However, the Norwegian would respond.

He took the second set to put the pressure back on Mensik, but the 19-year-old retaliated by storming to an emphatic third set in just 25 minutes.

Though Ruud pushed all the way to take the encounter to a decider, Mensik held his nerve, earning a break in the seventh game before ending the tie with his first match point.

2006 - This year's Australian Open is the first time two teenagers (Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik) have defeated ATP top 10 opponents at a Grand Slam event since Wimbledon in 2006 (Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray). Statements.#AO2025 | @AustralianOpen @atptour @ATPMediaInfo

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 15, 2025

Data Debrief: Czech mate for Mensik

Never before has Mensik reached the third round of a grand slam tournament, but his display against Ruud will give him confidence of surpassing expectations in Melbourne.

Mensik became the third player from Czechia in the 2000s to defeat a top-10 player at the Australian Open, after Tomas Berdych and Jiri Lehecka. He is also the third teenager to reach the quarter-finals at their first three ATP-level events of a season, after Rafael Nadal (2006) and Carlos Alcaraz (2023).

This year's Australian Open is the first time two teenagers (Joao Fonseca and Mensik) have defeated ATP top 10 opponents at a grand slam event since Wimbledon in 2006 (Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray).