Mar 30, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; (L-R) Novak Djokovic (SRB) hugs Jakub Mensik (CZE) while holding the finalist and Butch Buchholz championship trophies, respectively, after their men's singles championship of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.

tennis

“Hurts Me to Admit It But You Were Better”: Novak Djokovic Shares Classy Response to Jakub Mensik After Missing Out on 100th Title

The Serbian’s quest for the elusive 100th title continues.

Novak Djokovic fell marginally short in his bid for the elusive 100th title on Sunday, when Czech sensation Jakub Mensik beat him 7-6(4) 7-6(4) in the Miami Open final. It was a historic night for Mensik, but a gut-wrenching end to a fortnight that marked Djokovic’s return to form. Having returned to Miami after six years, the Serbian self-admittedly felt his best in a long time.

After the hard-fought battle, Djokovic was honest to admit that he was outclassed in the clutch moments. Mensik produced an awe-inspiring performance, particularly when it comes to his serve and forehand. He was able to resist any pressure that the Djoker – a masterful returner – applied on his service games. He forced the errors out of the Serbian in both tiebreaks, and there was no opportunity for him to come up with the witchcraft that we’ve seen from Nole so often.

Novak Djokovic Admits to Being Second Best in Big Moments During Miami Open Final

Speaking in the post-match trophy presentation, Novak Djokovic was gracious in defeat. Known to be one of the best on tour when it comes to his microphone work, the 24-time major champion showed his class. “It hurts me to admit it but you were better in clutch moments,” accepted Djokovic.

“Phenomenal effort mentally as well. Just to stay tough in the difficult moments – for a young player like yourself, this is a great feature – something that I’m sure you’ll use many times in the years to follow. So I wish you the very best of luck,” he concluded.

Novak Djokovic after losing to Mensik in Miami final

“I don’t wanna talk too much. This is Jakub’s moment… & a moment for his team and family. Congratulations. Unbelievable tournament. First of many. It hurts me to admit it but you were better. In the clutch moments you… pic.twitter.com/p7RF8X4VYd
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 31, 2025

Despite dealing with a heartbreaking defeat, Djokovic still found time to add some humour to his speech. “Maybe you will let me win one of the next times that we play, because you still have a lot of time. Me, not so much.” If Djokovic’s immaculate level this week was anything to go by, he clearly has some time left.

Djokovic Thanks Crowd After Terrific Miami Campaign

Normally the king of navigating his way into the deeper ends of the draw, Novak Djokovic lost his first match at the Qatar Open as well as Indian Wells. Turning up to the Miami Open with no momentum whatsoever, the Serbian showed why he is the male player with the most Grand Slam titles. He reached the final without dropping a set, beating the likes of Lorenzo Musetti and Grigor Dimitrov along the way.

“You guys have brought so much joy to me [in the] last couple of weeks,” Djokovic claimed while thanking the fans at the Hard Rock Stadium. “I’ve been struggling to find the level of tennis and the kind of enjoyment every single match, every single tournament. But here, without a doubt I enjoyed the most I’ve enjoyed in the last couple of years at any tournament.”

While the wait for the 100th title and his first ATP trophy since 2023 goes on, Djokovic’s Miami campaign is a positive sign. Can the Serbian reignite the fire during the clay court season?

ATP

ATP Masters 1000

Jakub Mensik

Miami Open

Miami Open Final

Novak Djokovic

Tennis

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.