“The Gladiator” Cobolli tops Mensik at UTS Guadalajara

Flavio Cobolli took out Jakub Mensik in a battle of UTS debutants, kicking off UTS Guadalajara with a decisive victory.

Flavio Cobolli UTS Guadalajara 2025 | UTS

February 15, 2025

Before it started, Flavio “The Gladiator” Cobolli and Jakub “Menimal” Mensik’s opening round match at UTS Guadalajara was already epic.

The 100th official match since UTS came back in 2023.

The event has grown, and traversed the globe making fans smile all over the world, and on Friday night it was Mexico’s time to delight in a unique tennis event that promises something for every fan.

Cobolli defeated Mensik 14-13, 15-12, 20-12, in the 36th three-set sweep in UTS history.

“I love to play in Mexico, it’s my first match at UTS, and I also love that it’s the 100th match in UTS – it’s a good number,” Cobolli said.

First quarter: Menimal starts strong

It was Mensik who took the initiative early, winning five straight points to lead 6-2 in the first quarter.

The ATP newcomer of the year in 2024 is still just 19 years of age but he showed great poise early managing the new competition calmly and maintaining his lead.

He couldn’t manage things in the end, however.

Cobolli had a chance with 27 seconds left in the quarter. He activated his next point counts 3x card but lost the point and fell behind by 13-11.

Second quarter: a carbon copy

Undeterred, the 22-year-old Italian won the next two points and then clinched the quarter by ripping a forehand winner on the final point— boom!

Unbothered by his troubles in the first quarter, Mensik took charge again in the second and led 10-6 after a beautiful drop shot went for a winner.

Cobolli levelled things up at 11-all with less than a minute left in the quarter. That’s why they call him the gladiator, there was no quit in the Italian and he finished off the quarter by winning nine of the last 11 points.

Third quarter: do or die for Menimal

It was due or die for Mensik in the third. And the gladiator sensed blood in the water early as he stretched his streak of consecutive points won to 8 and opened up a 6-0 lead.

There would be no holding the gladiator back in this quarter. He ripped a forehand winner to lead 10-1 with just over four minutes left.

The Czech pulled within three at one point, but by the time the buzzer rang, he was down by ten.

The Florence native converted his fourth match point to take the quarter 20-12.

“The crowd out there was amazing,” Cobolli said. “I started a little but nervous, but after three, four minutes I really enjoyed the match.”