5 min readUpdated: Feb 20, 2026 09:38 PM IST Jannik Sinner doesn’t lose a lot of tennis matches, especially on hard courts and more so against players not named Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic. Since the start of 2024, Sinner boasts an incredible win-loss record of 138-14. But, in a victory that could be a shot in the arm for one of the brightest upcoming talents in Tennis, the world No 2 was beaten in a three-set thriller by 20-year-old Czech star Jakub ‌Mensik 7-6(3) 2-6 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open in Doha. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO The tennis tour has recently been dominated by Sinner and Alcaraz, with veteran Djokovic being the only other player to consistently reach the semifinals and beyond at Majors since the start of 2025. The last nine Grand Slam titles have been won by either Sinner or Alcaraz. There has been a search for one of the younger stars to step up and challenge the duopoly and Mensik’s recent rise offers plenty of evidence that could …