Mensik and Baez Reach ASB Classic Final After Intense Matches

Jakub Mensik and Sebastian Baez will face off in the final of the ASB Classic men’s tennis tournament after both players triumphed in challenging matches on March 2, 2024. The final will take place at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland, marking a significant showdown following a day filled with rain delays and double-duty performances.

The tournament’s semifinal day began with three quarterfinal matches still to be completed, a carryover from earlier rain disruptions. Mensik, the third seed, kicked off his day by defeating France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with a confident score of 6-4, 6-2. Following this victory, the Czech player returned to the court to compete against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in the semifinals. Mensik showcased his skills, securing a hard-fought victory with a score of 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, which included an impressive 16 aces. This win solidified his dominance over Marozsan, as he has now won all three encounters against the Hungarian.

Marozsan entered the semifinal after overcoming American Eliot Spizzirri in the quarterfinals with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. Despite his earlier success, he was unable to topple the highest seed remaining in the tournament.

On the other side of the draw, seventh seed Sebastian Baez secured his place in the final with a string of strong performances. Baez initiated his day by defeating top seed Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals. The match was interrupted by rain on Thursday with Baez leading 7-5, 0-1. He returned on Friday to finish the job, winning 7-5, 6-3.

Baez then faced Marcos Giron, who had the advantage of having only played one match on the same day. However, Baez was relentless, taking the first set 6-1 in just 24 minutes. He concluded the semifinal with a 6-4 victory in the second set, demonstrating his capability to maintain a high level of play under pressure.

The upcoming final will be the first meeting between Mensik and Baez. Currently, Mensik is ranked 18th in the world, while Baez stands at 39th. Despite the rankings, Baez has shown exceptional form recently, having defeated two top-10 players this year, including Shelton. Notably, he remains undefeated in 2026 and previously participated in the United Cup in Australia before arriving at the ASB Classic. In contrast, Mensik faced two losses during the United Cup.

Following the final in Auckland, both players will quickly shift their focus to the Australian Open, which commences on March 3, 2024. Mensik is set to face Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in the first round, while Baez will take on Mpetshi Perricard once again.

The ASB Classic not only serves as a warm-up for the Australian Open but also highlights the growing talents of players like Mensik and Baez, who are emerging forces in the world of tennis.