Jakub Menšík Wins Quarterfinals Ahead of French Open Semifinal
Jakub Menšík is set to play his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal against Alexander Zverev after defeating Joao Fonseca in the quarterfinals.
Josefina Catino Usabarrena, originally from Buenos Aires, met Menšík while working as a waitress in a local Italian restaurant.
She had no connection to tennis at the time and didn't know she was serving a tennis prodigy.
Catino asked Menšík for his Instagram handle before the team departed, and soon they started dating.
Now together for over a year and a half, she travels with Menšík and frequently shares updates on Instagram.
The Menšík vs. Zverev semifinal match is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
Catino was at the Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday, watching Menšík defeat Brazil's Fonseca in straight sets.
Catino prefers to stay grounded and secure in her own worth, saying she knows she's much more than just Menšík's girlfriend.
She loves seeing him win and will be there to support him throughout his career.
Menšík has learned a fair amount of Spanish, and Catino is actively taking on the difficult task of learning Czech and embracing Czech culture.
On Tuesday, Catino posted a mirror selfie and re-shared a video of herself celebrating in the stands, captioning that she only watched half the match because she spent the other half praying.
After the match, she posted a view from the stands of Menšík's on-court interview with an enthusiastic message.
A few days ago, Catino had posted a TikTok video of them dancing on the street.
The couple communicates mainly through English, but they're making an effort to learn each other's languages.
As Menšík is acing it on the court, Catino is happy to be by his side, supporting him every step of the way.
The French Open semifinal is a significant milestone in Menšík's young career, and he's grateful to have Catino's support.
With his first Grand Slam semifinal approaching, Menšík is focused on the task at hand, and Catino will be cheering him on from the stands.