Reuters
Novak Djokovic. [Source: Reuters]
Novak Djokovic fell short in his bid to claim a 100th ATP title following a straight sets defeat by Czech teenager Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final but the Serb said losing to his protege made it a little easier to digest.
Djokovic was looking to join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only three men in the professional era with 100 or more titles, but the 37-year-old crashed 7-6(4) 7-6(4) in humid conditions after several hours of rain delays on Sunday.
Despite the disappointment, Djokovic said he was happy that the 19-year-old Mensik was delivering on his potential with his maiden title.
Djokovic said that Mensik would only get better after becoming the second youngest Miami champion since Carlos Alcaraz, who won the trophy in 2022 as an 18-year-old.
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