Mensik Shellacks Shelton in Madrid for Fifth Straight Top-20 Win

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday April 27, 2025

Jakub Mensik’s star continues to rise.

The Czech won his maiden Masters 1000 title in Miami just four weeks ago; on Sunday the 19-year-old continued to show why he is such a promising talent as he defeated Ben Shelton 6-1, 6-4 to reach the round of 16 at Madrid for the first time.

What has it been like for Mensik to settle into the reality that he is now one of the hunted rather than a hunter on tour, after producing his signature title run in Miami, which was capped with a straight-sets takedown of Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic.

“I know it’s just one tournament, I’m trying to improve myself every week,” he said. “Yes, I won it but the journey is still long and my goals are even further.”

Now riding an eight-match winning streak at the Masters 1000 events, Mensik improves to 6-1 against the Top-20 in 2025 with his 67-minute takedown of Shelton, who never did find his high gear in his third career meeting with Mensik.

23rd-ranked Mensik will face Alexander Bublik in the round of 16 on Tuesday. He will be the favorite, as he carries a 16-7 record into the matchup. He defeated Bublik in Rotterdam earlier this year, and owns a 1-1 lifetime record against the World No.75.

Mensik has become the seventh different teenager to reach the round of 16 at Madrid, joining a list that also includes Carlos Alcaraz, Juan Martin del Potro, Denis Shapovalov, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.