Andy Murray knew his career was reaching its twilight after a disheartening loss to rising star Jakub Mensik, who has since stunned the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic in the Miami Open final. Murray , who hung up his racket last August following an illustrious 19-year career, had faced the Czech prodigy in the round of 16 at the Qatar Open. In that match, despite dropping the first set 6-7 to Mensik, who was 18 at the time, Murray battled on and secured a break point at 5-5 in the second set. Yet, a shot hitting the net led the seasoned player to bitterly acknowledge his impending exit from professional tennis. Witnessed by onlookers, he appeared to mouth: "This game is not for me anymore. It's not for me anymore, this game." The 37-year-old went on to snatch the second set in a tiebreak but ultimately fell 6-7 in the deciding third set, marking a significant triumph for Mensik. Murray retired just five months later in August after competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Mensik, 19, elevated his list of conquered tennis legends when he claimed victory over Djokovic in straight sets for his inaugural title win. Murray, now serving as a coach to the Serbian since the Australian Open, was present at the Hard Rock Stadium to witness his one-time adversary score an impressive victory against the Serbian icon, who Mensik once revered as a childhood hero, reports the Express . Murray, no doubt, would have briefed his former adversary-turned client on Mensik's talent, but Djokovic was already well aware. After the up-and-comer reached the Australian Open juniors final in 2022, the 37-year-old, recognising his potential, invited the then-16-year-old for training sessions. In what was a stunning upset, Mensik clinched his first ATP title and denied Djokovic the distinction of achieving 100 career titles. The Serbian star had aimed to join the likes of Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103), who are the only males in the Open Era with 100 or more titles under their belts. Additionally, Djokovic broke records by being the oldest competitor in a Masters 1000 final, only to be thwarted by an emotional Mensik after the deciding point. Defeating a legend like the 24-time Grand Slam champion and obstructing his entry into an illustrious tennis club is no small feat – a sentiment echoed by Mensik during his post-victory speech at the trophy ceremony. "When I was young I started to play tennis because of you," he expressed to Djokovic. "There is no harder task for a tennis player than to beat you in the finals of a tournament." The Serb exhibited grace in his loss, candidly acknowledging his performance deficiencies while commending Mensik’s championship-winning display. "It hurts me to admit it but you were better," Djokovic conceded. "In the clutch moments, you delivered the goods." Marking Djokovic’s first final of 2025, he has yet to secure a title this year, with his last ATP trophy win recorded in 2023.