French Open 2026: Jakub Mensik laments ‘insane’ heat at Roland Garros after beating Mariano Navone to reach third round

Czech tennis player Jakub Mensik collapsed on Court 6 at Roland Garros during his French Open 2026 second-round match against Argentina's Mariano Navone in Paris on Wednesday.

Mensik defeated Navone 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (13-11) in a five-set thriller that lasted four hours and 41 minutes, and Mensik collapsed on court after the match amid the intense heatwave.

Navone then went up to him not only to congratulate him but also to help him get up. However, Jakub was unable to move, and the medical staff eventually treated him on the court by applying ice packs on his chest, head and neck.

He gradually got back on his feet and began walking off the court. However, he started struggling once again as he walked towards his locker room, and eventually needed a wheelchair.

Jakub Mensik on ‘insane’ heat

“It’s insane to play in this weather and especially in front of the sun,” said Mensik at the post-match press conference.

He added, “To be there for more than four and a half hours, that’s just insane, and even with the breaks, you don’t have that much time; the ballboy cannot bring you a towel during the changeover."

"You have just one minute, which obviously before, when you sit, it’s already just 30 seconds. So there is not that much time to cool yourself down," he added.

Mensik went on to take a 2-1 set lead in the contest as he used his excellent first serve and aggressive baseline depth. However, as the match approached the fourth set, he began to suffer cramps and was even unable to sustain rallies. His struggles were evident in the scoreline as he went on to lose the fourth set 1-6.

The fifth set witnessed a battle of endurance as it went for more than an hour. Mensik was seemingly struggling to move, but he still stood his ground and swung with full power.

Navone, however, utilised drop shots to persuade the Czech player to move- Mensik looked in excruciating pain.

Despite his struggles, Mensik was on the verge of victory on multiple occasions. He, in fact, wasted seven match points as the fifth set went to a tie-break.

The tie-break was equally tiring for Mensik, who was hobbling between points. He still managed to keep up with Navone as the match led towards a thrilling finish. With the score reading 12-11 in the Czech's favour, Minsek finally sealed the deal with a forehand winner to knock the Argentine out.

Novak Djokovic suggests late matches to combat heatwave

Novak Djokovic, who defeated Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3 to reach the French Open 2026 third round, spoke on the challenging conditions under the sun.

“When you play a three-and-a-half-hour match on clay, it’s long and very exhausting,” the Serbian said at the post-match press conference. “At least in my opinion. So, physically, I spent quite a bit of energy today on a very hot day. Very challenging conditions. It was obviously my fault I didn’t finish in straight sets, because I was break up twice in the third. [I was] just too passive on those points, and he took his chances, and he got the crowd support he was looking for," he added.

The 39-year-old also suggested shifting matches to later in the night. “Is that ideal to go over midnight? Yeah, it’s not. But if you have certain days that you have extreme heat and conditions, then maybe that’s something to consider," he suggested.