Rising Czech star Jakub Mensik used his powerful serve to dominate Sebastian Baez in the Auckland Classic final on Saturday, completing an impressive lead-up to the Australian Open.

Mensik fired down 18 aces en route to a 6–3, 7–6 (7) victory, claiming his second career title after last year’s triumph at the Miami Open.

The 20-year-old, the youngest player ranked inside the world’s top 25, showed he can be a serious contender at Melbourne Park, where he is seeded 16.

Mensik’s combination of aggressive serving and deft net play proved too much for the 39th-ranked Argentine. He secured a single break in each set and held his nerve in a tense tiebreak, saving three set points to close out the match.

“I’m thrilled with my serving today,” Mensik said in a courtside interview. “After pre-season, you’re not always in rhythm, and coming into a season with a lot of energy, I’m super happy I could show the performance I wanted. Seb is a great fighter, and it’s very difficult to hit winners against him, but I stayed focused and kept my spirit to the end.”

The tournament had tested both players, with quarter-finals and semi-finals pushed into Friday due to rain delays. Baez, who has claimed six of his seven career titles on clay, reached the final by upsetting top-seeded American Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals.

Saturday marked the 25-year-old Argentine’s first loss of the year, after he went undefeated at last week’s United Cup, including a win over world number nine Taylor Fritz.

Mensik’s Auckland victory underlines his potential as a major threat in the early stages of the season and sets him up with confidence heading into the first Grand Slam of 2026.