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For Jiri Lehecka, sporting success runs within the household. His father was a swimmer and his mom was a observe and discipline star. Whereas the Czech has lengthy loved snowboarding, swimming and working, tennis was all the time his first ardour. Lehecka struck his first photographs at three years outdated together with his grandmother, who competed in tennis at a nationwide stage, earlier than he turned skilled in 2020.
Now the 20-year-old is No. 74 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and is able to make his mark within the sport after having fun with a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour that began in Rotterdam in February.
“For me, [Rotterdam] was an unbelievable week as a result of I began the yr fairly superb,” Lehecka instructed ATPTour.com. “I certified in Australia. I misplaced within the first spherical in 4 units, so the season was beginning fairly properly for me. Then I had two or three weeks the place I didn’t play good tennis. I performed dangerous and didn’t really feel good on court docket. Then my coach joined me at Rotterdam. We did some enhancements and onerous work and in Rotterdam it was an unbelievable week. A bit shocking, however I used to be having fun with each second there.”
In a confidence-boosting week, Lehecka got here via qualifying on the ATP 500 occasion earlier than he earned his maiden tour-level win in opposition to Denis Shapovalov within the first spherical. He then defeated Botic van de Zandschulp and Lorenzo Musetti earlier than Stefanos Tsitsipas halted his run within the semi-finals.
“In qualifying I beat two good gamers. In case you are taking part in qualifying at ATP Tour occasion it isn’t straightforward,” Lehecka stated. “I beat Corentin Moutet within the closing qualifying spherical. For me, the win in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti was the perfect. It was the win that obtained me into the Prime 100. So all of the matches had been unbelievable for me and nice experiences, however this match for me could be the highest one. After I gained I didn’t know I used to be within the Prime 100, however the man on the post-match interview stated to me, ‘Congrats, this match you achieved Prime 100’ and I used to be like ‘Wow, when? Unbelievable’.”
Having earned his place within the Prime 100, Lehecka gained entry alternatives into extra tour-level occasions. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old, who additionally enjoys taking part in video video games and mountaineering within the mountains, struggled to attain his desired leads to the weeks following Rotterdam.
Lehecka believes that was to be anticipated, although, as he adjusted to the elevated calls for the ATP Tour placed on him.
“I’m 20 years outdated so once I obtained into the Prime 100 it had been an unbelievable factor,” stated Lehecka. “I didn’t play my finest tennis post-Rotterdam. I must say that actually, but it surely was principally the expertise for me. I used to be having fun with massive tournaments for the primary time in my life. I performed qualifying in Monte Carlo, I gained. I obtained into the primary draw. Quite a lot of these had been first-time experiences and I used to be making an attempt to get used to the extent. I used to be making an attempt to get used to all of the stuff of being within the Prime 100 after which I used to be making an attempt to really feel my sport higher and higher.
“The blokes on the ATP Tour, most are loopy skilled and they’re so intelligent on the court docket. They’re so constant. They don’t offer you many possibilities to construct on, so it is vitally robust to play in opposition to them not with the tennis half however the psychological half.”
It didn’t take lengthy for Lehecka to regain his finest stage, although, with the Czech capturing an ATP Challenger Tour title on house soil in Liberec in August. Having grown up simply half-hour from the city, the victory meant rather a lot to him.
“Liberec was a metropolis I used to be taking part in once I was youthful. I loved it rather a lot there as a result of there are lots of people I do know there,” Lehecka stated. “It’s half-hour away from my house within the automobile, so it is vitally handy to play there. The followers had been simply unbelievable. The way in which they supported me the entire event and particularly the semi-final and closing was one thing unbelievable and I’m so glad I obtained this expertise to play there in entrance of my house crowd.
“I’m so completely satisfied that within the Czech Republic we have now 5 or 6 tournaments on the Challenger Tour and we’re capable of play there if we wish some matches or if we wish a house crowd. The Challenger Tour is essential a part of everybody’s journey. I gained my first Challenger final yr in Finland. Profitable my first Challenger title was some of the necessary moments of my life. It is vitally necessary a part of tennis.”
Having had his eyes set on competing on the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals because the begin of the season, Lehecka arrives in Milan decided to complete his breakthrough yr strongly after lacking out on qualifying in 2021.
“Final yr I ended as the primary alternate for the Subsequent Gen Finals, so I selected to play one other event as a substitute of being an alternate, in order that was a bit of bit unfortunate,” Lehecka stated. “When you will have the possibility to play the Subsequent Gen Finals it means you had a very good yr, you gained some factors which obtained you there. After I began my season in Australia this was for certain considered one of my massive plans and goals to qualify for this event.”
Lehecka has fond reminiscences of watching the occasion, having seen Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz soar to the title in Milan. The 20-year-old is hoping to comply with of their footsteps and proceed his journey to the highest.
“I noticed [the event] many occasions. I watched it from the start. Watching how the younger weapons are doing and taking part in,” Lehecka stated. “For me, it is likely one of the biggest tournaments and it seems very good. I’m trying ahead to it. After all I’ll do all the things I can to have my finest outcomes over there.
“For me to have an opportunity to be in this type of place, Prime 60, play Subsequent Gen Finals is an enormous motivation for me. It exhibits me the place I might be when I’m 20, 21 years outdated. It provides me massive motivation for the longer term. I’m saying to myself, ‘Right here I’m now’ and I’m actually completely satisfied and curious to see the place I can be when I’m 25 or 26.”
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