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Jiri Lehecka

Wimbledon Day 9 – Djokovic Wins 5+ Hour Battle to Gain Semifinal Spot Against Defending Champion Sinner

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates the victory in the Gentlemen’s Singles Fourth Round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada on day nine of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 07, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)

(July 7, 2026) Novak Djokovic is still in the hunt for a 25th major title. On Tuesday, the 39-year-old Serb outlasted 25-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (10-4) in a five-hour and 15-minute quarterfinal match on Wimbledon’s Center Court. For the No. 7 seed, he completed the win just a few minutes before the Wimbledon curfew at 11 p.m.

“It was honestly one of the best matches I have been part of on this court in my career,” Djokovic said in his post match on-court interview. “I was telling the kids to go to sleep after the fourth but they didn’t want to listen and I am glad they stayed,”

Next up for Djokovic will be a face-off with No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy for a place in the final. The 7-time Wimbledon winner has now reached the Wimbledon final four for a record 8 straight years.

“With a racquet and a lot of heart and management of the nerves and the extreme tension you feel in these kinds of matches,” Djokovic said. “Towards the end it was anyone’s game. The scoreline was even all the way through. I think it was anyone’s game in the super tie-break in the fifth. These are the kind of moments that I still play tennis for.”

Sinner took down 36-year-old German Jan-Lennard Struff with a 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory on No. 1 Court in two-hour, 35-minutes. This will be his third semifinal at The All England Club

“The second set could have ended in a different way,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “Tie-breaks are always 50/50. If you are one set all or two sets up, it’s a big [difference]. So in the third set, I was a little bit more relaxed, for sure.

“His percentage of first serves dropped a little bit, which helped me feel slightly more comfortable. I’m very happy to finish in three sets, but he’s a very tough player to play against. So I’m pleased.”

Sinner beat Djokovic in last year’s Wimbledon semifinals. The Italian has a 6-5 head-to-head record against the Serb.

In a match finish postponed from Monday, No. 2 Alexander Zverev held off No. 13 Jiri Lehecka, 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6). This will be the German’s first Wimbledon quarterfinal in the 12 years that he’s been playing the tournament,

“Who would have thought it would only have taken me 12 years to get there,” Zverev quipped after the match,

“It was a fantastic match that lasted two days and of course it is never easy to come back the following day. I thought he played amazing today, so credit to him for keeping the fight up and making it very difficult today.”

Zverev will be playing No. 6 Taylor Fritz for a spot in the final four.

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Triple Double – Sinner, Sabalenka, and Siniakova/Townsend, Complete “Sunshine Doubles” with Miami Open Wins

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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 29: Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Butch Buchholz Trophy after defeating Jiri Lehecka of Czechia during the Men’s Singles Final of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock Stadium on March 29, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

(March 29, 2026) There was the completion of a triple “Sunshine Double” on Sunday at the Miami Open for Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and the doubles team of Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend. Winning both Indian Wells and the Miami Open constitutes the Sunshine Double.

Jannik Sinner beat Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to capture the Miami Open title and complete the “Sunshine Double’’ on Sunday.

The last male player to complete the double was Roger Federer in 2017. Sinner is the first man to do it without dropping a set in either tournament.

It’s very, very special moment,’’ Sinner said. “Coming here, performing in a good way after Indian Wells, means a lot to me. Physically, it’s tough when you come here (from California). You’re a little bit tired, but the motivation is very high.’’

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka completed her own Sunshine Double on Saturday with a win over Florida native Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. It was the first Sunshine double on the women’s tour since 2022.

“You’ve pushed me to be a better player,’’ Sabalenka said during the trophy ceremony, before adding about the crowd, “You always bring a full stadium.’’

“It sucks not to come out with a better result but I had a lot of joy this week,’’ Gauff said. “You guys brought energy every day this week.’’

For the Belarusian, it was her 24th tennis title, and it was Gauff’s first Miami Open final.

The rain pushed the women’s doubles final to the grandstand court on Sunday. Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova beat Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (7-0), 6-1. Townsend-Siniakova also claimed the double for women’s doubles — the first time since 2019.

“It’s been a really long month, but so successful for both of us,” Townsend said during the trophy presentation. “It’s really exciting. Everyone was trying to put it on us about the Sunshine Double. Well, we did it.”

“Thank you so much for playing,” Siniakova said. “It’s a pleasure to kind of (get to know) you more. So thank you for playing with me and making it fun. I’m really enjoying this time with you.”

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An Under-The-Weather Fritz Avenges Miami Open Loss to Mensik to Level Davis Cup Tie at 1-1

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(September 12, 2025) DELRAY BEACH, FL – After the first day of the Davis Cup Second Round Qualifier matchup between the United States and Czechia, the tie is even at one rubber apiece.

In the second match of the night, world No. 5 Taylor Fritz won Team USA’s first match of the tie against No. 17 Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-3 to level the tie at 1-1. The win for the American avenged a loss to the Czech at the most recent Miami Open semifinal.

“Yeah, it was a tough match,” said Fritz. “I think the conditions are really tough. You have to play very differently with just how slow the court is, especially at night. You know, humid, heavy conditions. Sometimes even being aggressive can actually, like, hurt you. So it definitely took me a couple of games to kind of figure out what shots were good, what shots maybe I should avoid. I got into a good rhythm. I thought I played well.”

Fritz has been ill over the past few days and has barely left his bed. I’m sick. Like, I felt like two of the practices I had in the days leading up kind of didn’t feel right. I felt like I was getting so, just exhausted for no reason. I kind of felt like maybe some sickness was coming on.

“Two nights ago, I finished a practice with Frances and I was driving home, and I just started feeling, like, just so, so sick. I was up all night just, like, coughing, sore throat, all that normal stuff. I woke up yesterday morning just, I felt so bad. It was just like yesterday was kind of like that peak day of the sickness where it’s, like, the worst. I still don’t feel great, but today, where I was at yesterday, like, I’m a lot better today, for sure”

Captain Bob Bryan said that Fritz’s win is a big boost for the team: “Going in when I woke up this morning, I didn’t know if Taylor would be available to his team, and obviously I was excited to hear the news that he was turning the corner with his sickness and he was going to be able to go out there and compete.

“So, look, a 1-1 is a good spot for this team. You know, we’ve got two experienced players playing doubles tomorrow. Hopefully get us into that lead, and then we can close the door. But 1-1, sleeping on that feels good.”

It’s been a rainy week at Delray Beach, and the first match was delayed for an hour.

It took just 78 minutes for world No. 16 Jiri Lehecka to beat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2 in the first rubber of the Davis Cup tie on Friday to give the Czechs the early 1-0 lead on Friday night.

“Obviously, not that pleased with it,” Tiafoe said of the loss. “Yeah, just tough. I thought I had some looks early. Once he broke me, I thought he did a great job of front-running. Really heavy conditions out there. He played well. Kind of a testament how I have been playing. Just not great. Just not playing very well. But, you know, early on it was a bit better. Just not playing well. Not playing nearly the level I should be, and that’s just the reality.

“Of course he played well. Just came off quarters at the US Open. He played well today, but I mean, just kind of a testament how I have been playing.,” said No. 29 Tiafoe.

Lehecka, ranked at No. 16, talked about the win: “I think from my side it was a well-handled match. Of course every matchup against Frances is tough. You never know what to expect. He is a very experienced player who loves to play in front of his home crowd. You know, so together with all the delays and the weather, which didn’t really give us a chance to warm up properly, I think I handled it well.

“Yeah, I think from my side, most important thing was to start well, because in the beginning, there was a lot of close games. Then in the important moments, I just kept applying the pressure on him. I just kept, you know, put the ball in play, made him suffer a bit to move more. That’s something what I see as a key in today’s match.”

“First night of action, luckily we had the time to finish it, which is great,” said Czechia Captain Tomas Berdych. “After the week, we had a chance to play in the evening finally, so that’s good. That’s the first positive thing to start with. And then there is another positive thing, that Jiri played absolutely  incredible match, which is another one, so he brings the first points to the locker room, which is great.

“Then unfortunately, I mean, Jakub was not able to deliver the point, same as Jiri. I mean, obviously he had a much tougher opponent, that’s for sure. He made couple of mistakes, especially in the beginning, and then with the combination of very tough opponent, which Taylor is, then, you know, it’s like a little bit like a snowball, which there are not big things that makes the difference, but this high level of tennis, which in the end, will end up it was just like two straight sets for the States.

“Anyway, overall, I mean, it’s 1-All after Friday, which I think it’s very acceptable for us. Yeah, we still have it quite open for tomorrow, which is good. We are in a good chance that no matter how the first doubles goes tomorrow, we still have a chance at Jiri, who plays really well, we’ll get back on par.”

The Davis Cup tie is taking place at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, home of the ATP event, the Delray Beach Open.

Day 2 features doubles and reverse singles. Play begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Day 1 Results

Jiri Lehecka (CZE) d. Frances Tiafoe (USA), 6-3, 6-2; Scorecard

Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Jakub Mensik (CZE), 6-4, 6-3; Scorecard

Saturday, September 13 (2 p.m. ET)

Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA) v. Adam Pavlasek/Tomas Machac (CZE)

Fritz (USA) v. Lehecka (CZE)

Tiafoe (USA) v. Mensik (CZE)

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US Open Tennis: No. 2 Alcaraz Cruises Past Lehecka to Reach Final Four Will Face Djokovic next.

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Carlos Alcaraz in action during a men’s singles quarterfinal match at the 2025 US Open on Tuesday, Sep. 2, 2025 in Flushing, NY. (Garrett Ellwood/USTA)

(September 2, 2025) FLUSHING, NY – No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is into the US Open final four again. He cruised past Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in just short of two hours. The 22-year-old has not dropped a set so far at the US Open.

He’s won 59 matches so far this season.

“It’s difficult not to think about it, but every time I step on court I’m trying not to think about it,” said Alcaraz on court after the match. “If I think about No. 1 spot too much I’m gonna put too much pressure on myself. 

“I just want to step on court, try to do my things, follow my goals in the match and try to enjoy my goals in the match. No. 1 is there but I am trying not to think too much about it.”

He’ll play No. 7 Novak Djokovic for a place in the final. Djokovic beat American Taylor Fritz in four sets.

Alcaraz is currently on an 11-match win streak.

“Look, as I said on the court, he was the better player second and third set.,” said Djokovic. “I got really out of trouble in the second, somehow found a way to clinch that second set after serving for it 5-4. Dropped a serve, rebroke, and then I honestly wasn’t — I thought, for my standards, that I wasn’t playing well. I don’t know. I didn’t feel the ball as well as I did feel the ball in the third round.

“You know, Taylor is the kind of a player if you allow him to play, he’s going to try to dictate, he’s going to be aggressive, stay close to the line. He’s going to take his forehands and punish you. I was just trying to survive, just trying to stay in the rally, make him play.

“I think it was good for me that he wasn’t making a lot of first serves in in the first couple sets. Then he raised the level of the first serve, and the first-serve percentage went up. Then, all of a sudden, it was so much more difficult for me to stay in his service games.

“But then, you know, I think in important moments in the fourth I served well, mixed it up, came to the net as well. Just tried to give him a different look and waited patiently for my opportunity, and realistically I just had one game where I just had chance to break him, which was the last one. You know, the one that gave me the victory, and he gifted me with the double fault.

“Yeah, I was in the rally in both of my match points prior to that. Just played too conservatively. Yeah, waited for his mistake instead of trying to take the ball early, but as I said, I didn’t feel playing well. I didn’t feel my shots as well as I have a few days ago.

It’s one of those days where you just have to grind, you know. You just have to play with your heart and fight. That’s what really gave me the win in the end.”

“Well, it’s not going to get easier,” Djokovic said to media. “I tell you that (smiling). Look, as I said, I’m going to try to take one day at a time. Really take care of my body. Try to relax and recover. The next couple of days is really key for me to really get my body in shape and ready to battle five sets if it’s needed.

“I just would really love that. Would love to be fit enough to play and to play, you know, potentially five sets with Carlos. I know that my best tennis is going to be required, but I’d rise to the occasion.

“Normally I like to play the big matches on a big stage. It’s just that I’m, you know, not really sure how the body is going to feel in the next few days. But, you know, I’m going to do my very best with my team to be fit for that.

“There’s going to be a lot of running involved, that’s for sure. It’s not going to be short points.”

Alcaraz said of his next opponent: “Novak, we all know Novak’s game. It doesn’t matter that he has been out of the tour since Wimbledon. Playing great matches here. I know he’s hungry. I know his ambition for more, so let’s see.

“I know I played a lot of times against him. I really want to revenge. That’s obviously.”

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US Open: Shelton Retires from Match with Shoulder Injury, Mannarino Advances to Fourth Round

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Adrian Mannarino in action during a men’s singles match at the 2025 US Open on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 in Flushing, NY. (Ben Solomon/USTA)

(August 29, 2025) FLUSHING, NY – Ben Shelton, the No. 6 seed, was forced to retire with a left shoulder injury on Friday afternoon against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. The match was even at two sets a piece, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, when the young American retired.

He will play Jiri Lehecka for a spot in the US Open quarterfinals on Sunday.

“He’s a great player,” Shelton said in his news conference. “Sometimes tough to find answers against him. He just seemed to not have any holes. He returns really well. He has a different serving style that makes it difficult to deal with. Yeah, he’s a great player. Had a lot of battles with him.

Shelton said that he could not pinpoint when the pain in his left arm began, but the pain level was “really high.”

“I was just trying to adjust and figure out whatever I can to keep competing, you know. Even though I was in pain, I was just kind of in that competitive mindset of trying to find a way and push through it.”

“I mean, I was just trying to adjust and figure out whatever I can to keep competing, you know. Even though I was in pain, I was just kind of in that competitive mindset of trying to find a way and push through it.”

“Usually, I’ll play through anything and just kind of find a way. And whether it’s sickness or injury, like, if I can stay out there, I can stay out there. I never felt anything like this before.

“So, yeah, that was kind of tough, I guess the uncertainty. But yeah, I guess I don’t have anything else to say.”

“The shoulder is obviously complex. It’s tough to know. Was basically just trying to alleviate pain and see if I could play, and that was the extent of it.”

More to follow….

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