ADELAIDE, Australia — Australia in January suits Jiri Lehecka. Last year he rode a wave of early-season form into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
On Saturday the seventh-seeded Czech beat unseeded Briton Jack Draper 4-6, 6-5, 6-3 in the final of the Adelaide International to win his first ATP Tour level final.
The 22-year-old Lehecka beat third-seeded Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals to reach his second tour final. Draper also was playing in his second final and his second in succession after losing to Adrian Mannarino in the final of the Sofia Open in November.
Saturday’s final was a contest of big hitters in which Lehecka served eight aces, Draper seven. That was indicative of a very close match and there was only a small margin between the players in a match which lasted 2 hours, 8 minutes.
Overall, Lehecka saved eight of nine break points while Draper saved three of five in the first head to head meeting of the pair at ATP Tour level.
“It’s hard for me to say something because it is so emotional for me to win my first title here in Adelaide,” Lehecka said. “I’m super excited.
“I would like to congratulate Jack and his team because it is such a joy to watch you. I wish you all the best for the rest of the season. Just stay healthy and keep playing.”
Lehecka is the first Czech to win an ATP title since Jiri Vesely in Pune in 2020. Saturday’s win will boost his ranking by nine places to 23.
Draper congratulated Lehecka on a breakthrough win.
“A career-high ranking, playing some amazing tennis and your first title. I was trying to do the same today but you deserve it and you were the better player today,” he said.
Lehecka will play Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain in the first round of the Australian Open while Draper will play Marcos Giron of the United States.
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