Australian Open 2023: Lehecka hopes to continue dream run after win over Felix to reach quarter-finals
Jiri Lehecka powered to an impressive 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) fourth-round victory over sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime to seal his berth in the Australian Open 2023 quarter-finals.
FollowJiri Lehecka hadn't won a match in a Grand Slam's main draw until a week prior. He is currently a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open 2023. Lehecka defeated sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round on Sunday at Margaret Court Arena with a commanding 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) victory with his hard baseline hitting and slick net play.
"Honestly, it feels amazing," said Lehecka. "It's tough for me to find some words because what we've been through last year and now coming back to Australia. Losing in the first round last year, so of course If somebody had told me before the tournament that I would play like this, then I wouldn't believe them, but I'm super that I'm through and I'm excited."
The World No. 71 Lehecka lost in the opening round of each of the four major tournaments last year, but she stunned several elite rivals during the first week in Melbourne. The 21-year-old overcame the 21st seed Borna Coric in the first round and the 11th seed Cameron Norrie in the third round to end the 2022 season well and go to the Next Gen ATP Finals championship match.
"Of course, all the guys I have beaten over here, all of them are incredible players and I must have played my best tennis," said Lehecka. "[I had] to show all the cards I have to beat them. Coric in the first round, [Christopher] Eubanks in the second round and Norrie, now Felix. It sounds crazy, but it's true, and I'm very happy and so excited to continue the journey."
Lehecka has a history of consistently defeating opponents who are ranked higher. He defeated Denis Shapovalov, Botic van de Zandschulp, and Lorenzo Musetti on his ATP Tour debut as a qualifier in Rotterdam last February to advance to the semi-finals, where he battled Stefanos Tsitsipas throughout three sets.
Auger-Aliassime won his first tour-level championship at the ATP 500 event in the Netherlands, but the Canadian struggled to perform at his peak on Sunday against Lehecka. That was largely due to his opponent, who put on a strong all-around performance, matching Auger-power Aliassime's from the baseline and regularly moving forward to apply pressure.
Despite losing the first set, Lehecka remained calm as he attempted to win his first match against a Top 10 opponent for the fifth time. He won 80% (33/41) of the points at the net in a three-hour, 13-minute victory after recording his only break of the match late in the second set to draw the match. He then dominated two tie-breaks to complete the victory.
“I felt good even from the baseline,” he said. “I helped myself with my serve a lot. I know that Felix is a huge serve. He knows how to finish points after a big first serve, so I was trying to focus on my first serve as well and then when we both went into rallies I felt that I was able to beat him from the baseline [too].”
The Czech may now get the chance to exact revenge for his defeat to Tsitsipas in Rotterdam when he faces the victor of Sunday night's match between the third-seeded Greek and the 15th-seed Jannik Sinner in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
