Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated his victory against Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka in the men’s singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. Tsitsipas, the third seed, advanced to his fourth Australian Open semi-final with a commanding performance, defeating the unseeded Lehecka with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. He is now set to face Russian 18th seed Karen Khachanov for a chance to reach his first final at Melbourne Park, having previously fallen in the semi-finals three times, including in the last two years.
Khachanov secured his place in the semi-finals when American Sebastian Korda retired due to a wrist injury while trailing 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 3-0. Reflecting on his match, Tsitsipas noted, “It felt different this time from any other match, and the most important thing in the end is that I found a solution.” He is on the verge of becoming world number one if he wins the title, a feat also attainable by Novak Djokovic under the same conditions. Tsitsipas, 24, described the match as “one of the most difficult so far in the competition,” acknowledging Lehecka’s strong performance throughout the tournament.
Lehecka, ranked 71, had warned Tsitsipas before the match that he sought revenge after losing to him in the semi-finals at Rotterdam last year. However, the 21-year-old faced immediate pressure from Tsitsipas, who created five break points in Lehecka’s opening service game. Tsitsipas capitalized on a backhand volley error from Lehecka to take an early lead, consolidating it for a 3-0 advantage. With his powerful first serve limiting Lehecka’s opportunities, Tsitsipas comfortably secured the first set in just 36 minutes, finishing it with an ace.
The second set saw Tsitsipas save five break points during a crucial third game as Lehecka began to apply pressure. The set progressed with both players holding serve until it reached a tiebreak, where Tsitsipas maintained his composure to gain an early lead that he never relinquished. In the closely contested third set, Tsitsipas faced three break points after his second double fault of the night, but he managed to save them all, celebrating with a fist pump. With renewed determination, Tsitsipas intensified the pressure as Lehecka served to stay in the match, ultimately earning and converting a match point with a crosscourt backhand.
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