On one side of the net stands Novak Djokovic, the oldest ATP Masters 1000 finalist in history. On the other is Jakub Mensik, the third-youngest Miami Open finalist ever. One is a 24-time Grand Slam champion; the other, a rising star just getting started. Could this clash get any better? To make things even more intriguing, Mensik isn’t just playing for the title; he’s playing against his idol. The 19-year-old Czech starlet has, on numerous occasions, declared that Djokovic is “his tennis inspiration.” So, can the student become the master? Serena Williams’ former coach feels there is a way to do it!

Surprisingly, this isn’t their first meeting. The two faced off at the Shanghai Masters last year, and Mensik held his own. He even snatched the first set in a tiebreak before Djokovic found his rhythm and took the match. But the teenager believes things may go differently this time around.

“It feels incredible,” Mensik said, looking ahead to Sunday’s final. “For me, it was a dream to play against him in Shanghai. For now, it’s a bit different. I am a better player now, and I’m going to enjoy and it’s going to be really exciting. Let’s see what’s going to happen Sunday.”

Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci has weighed in on the blockbuster showdown. On X, he wrote, “Jakub Mensik if he serves Heat Seeking Czech Flames has a real shot to beat the Serbian Sniper. But Wally Djokovic is the best returner ever to step on a tennis court. Key moments. Key points. Key serves. The keys for both players to lock in the Title.”

It’s a pretty well-known fact that the ‘Serbinator’ is one of the best returners in the sport. Over the past 52 weeks, Djokovic has returned 32.5% of first serves. But Mensik’s serve has been firing on all cylinders. In his semi-final win over the home favorite Taylor Fritz, he crushed 25 aces and delivered in both the tie-breaks to claim a 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(4) victory. The 19-year-old landed 72% of his first serves, winning 82% of points behind them. Even on his second serve, he managed 54%.

But hey, Djokovic showed his own serving prowess in his semi-final win over Grigor Dimitrov. According to Tennis Abstract, he hit his highest-ever first-serve percentage—86.7%! That’s across 1,443 matches, covering nearly two decades of dominance. So while Mensik has the firepower, Djokovic has been sharpening his own weapons.

Taylor Fritz, one of the biggest servers on tour, also weighed in on the final. The American sees Djokovic as the favorite but believes Mensik has a shot to the title if conditions align in his favor. “If the conditions are fast enough and he’s serving well enough, he’s always going to be in the match,” Fritz said. “It’s going to be tight. He’s going to have a solid chance. I’m not sure because I couldn’t return a serve, that doesn’t mean that Novak is not going to be able to return a serve. It’s going to depend on that.”

Interestingly, Mensik had a little extra motivation for his semi-final triumph. While he idolizes Djokovic, another GOAT surprise appearance fueled his victory. Who was it?

Lionel Messi’s magic lands Jakub Mensik a spot in the final

Lionel Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, just 20 miles away from the Hard Rock Stadium, popped in to watch the Miami Open madness. The Argentinian footballer was in the crowd watching Novak Djokovic’s semi-final. After the match, the legend visited the locker room and met both Djokovic and Mensik.

It turns out that Messi’s magic might have rubbed off on the young Czech—literally. When asked if meeting Messi helped him, Mensik joked, “Meeting this legend, not even a human, it’s not happening every day. I just chilled with him a bit and shook his hand. And after shaking that hand, I didn’t wash it before the match, you know, to bring me some luck, so probably that was the key for me today.”

Luck or not, the 19-year-old’s game has been doing the talking. He stunned Indian Wells champion Jack Draper in the second round and has been on a roll ever since. His efforts have propelled him up 24 spots to a career-high No. 30 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Should he pull off the upset on Sunday, he will jump to No. 24.

Djokovic, of course, has his own goals. The 37-year-old is chasing his 100th career title, a record-extending 41st Masters 1000, and a win in Miami would be his first since 2016. Will the apprentice emerge the victor or will Djokovic show once again why he is the ultimate boss of the tennis court? What do you think?