“I’m expecting a rematch. I know he’ll definitely remember how we played together in Rotterdam. I was the better player then in the first set, but then he outplayed me. He’ll definitely know what my strengths are, and he’ll also know that I can put him under pressure,” Lehečka said at the press conference.
Among the Czech players, the last time Tomáš Berdych made it to the top four in Melbourne was in 2015. Leheček, who is ranked 71st in the world rankings, knocked out world number seven Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime in the round of 16 and claimed his first victory over a top 10 player. he also succeeded over the twelfth tennis player in the world, the British Cameron Norrie, the American Christopher Eubanks, and eliminated the Croatian Borna Čorić (23rd) in the first round.
Lehečka only met Tsitsipas, who is three years older, in the semifinals in Rotterdam last year, where he lost 6:4, 4:6, 2:6. The Athens native, who is the highest seeded player in the tournament after the early end of Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud, last beat world number 16 Jannik Sinner of Italy 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3. The Greek tennis player can reach the semifinals of the Australian Open for the third time in a row and the fourth time overall. He is aiming for the first Grand Slam title of his career.
The winner of the match between Lehečka and Tsitsipas will face Russian Karen Khačanov (20th) or American Sebastian Korda (31st) in the semi-finals.
| Tuesday’s Australian Open schedule |
|---|
| Arena Roda Lavera: |
| 2:30 Rybakinová (22-Kaz.) – Ostapenko (17-Lot.) |
| Khačanov (18-Russia) – Korda (29-USA) |
| 9:00 Pegula (3-USA) – Azarenkova (24-Belarus) |
| approx. 10.30 Tsitsipas (3-Greece) – Lehečka (CZ) |
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