Ice-cool Mensik denies teenager Fonseca, reaches Paris semi-finals

Jakub Mensik has battled past Brazilian breakout star Joao Fonseca with a 6-4 6-3 7-6(3) win to make the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday and become the youngest Czech man to reach that stage at a Grand Slam.

Days after collapsing on the red dirt of Paris following his second-round victory in sweltering conditions, the 20-year-old shone on a cool evening following a spell of rain to book a last-four clash with title favourite Alexander Zverev.

"I'm still in the match a little bit," Mensik said in his on-court interview after surpassing compatriot Ivan Lendl who made the 1981 Paris semi-finals at the age of 21.

"Joao is a great guy and a great competitor. Before the match, I knew it would be a tough one. We started a bit nervous and at the end of the match, there were some incredible shots.

"I'm super happy I was the one who came back. I managed to stay focused and keep fighting until the end."

After four straight holds of serve to kick off the contest under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof, the momentum swung when Mensik edged ahead with a break, and the Czech stayed firm from there to win the opening set.

The ice-cool Mensik tightened his grip on the contest when the second set unfolded in similar fashion, as the 19-year-old Fonseca's serve let him down at a crucial moment and he then struggled to find a way past the wall in front of him.

The youngest Roland Garros men's quarter-final since a 20-year-old Rafa Nadal defeated a teenage Novak Djokovic in 2006 looked in danger of becoming a rout as Mensik bagged the set when his opponent pushed a shot wide.

With his adoring Brazilian fans stunned and the frustration rising, Fonseca came out firing in the third set, but was broken when serving for it at 5-4. Mensik drew level before wasting six match points and eventually prevailing via a tiebreak.

"The last game and tiebreak was one of my best performances so far," added Mensik, who was mentored during his junior days by Djokovic.

"A couple of matchpoints I didn't know if the ball was out or in ... It was really tough to stay focused until the end and I'm really happy that I managed to come back in the tiebreak and move my game a little bit forward."