Jiri Lehecka stuns Auger-Aliassime for spot in quarter-finals

Jiri Lehecka edged out Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) on Sunday night and will play the winner of the match between Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No 3 seed, and Italian Jannik Sinner, the No 15 seed, in the next round

Jiri Lehecka Australian Open 2023 || AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Tennis Majors

January 22, 2023

Australian Open •Round of 16 • completed

See draw

J. LeheckavsF. Auger-Aliassime

After losing his Grand Slam debut at all four majors in 2022, Czech Jiri Lehecka has entered the 2023 season on a mission to prove himself.

He did it again on Sunday night in Melbourne, edging out Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 6 seed, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) to move into the last eight of the Australian Open.

That feeling when you defeat the No.6, No.11 and No.21 seeds to make the quarters 👏@jirilehecka • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/ID8OUcEcBC
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2023

Lehecka, ranked No 71, will look to continue his dream run in the quarter-finals, when he meets either Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the highest seed remaining in the draw, or Italian Jannik Sinner, the No 15 seed, in the last eight.

Tennis Majors

Lehecka has engineered a series of upsets to reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne. He entered the 2023 season with one top-25 win to his name and has already notched four, including three in his four matches in Melbourne.

The 21-year-old Czech defeated Croat Borna Coric, the No 21 seed (6-3, 6-3, 6-3), American wildcard Christopher Eubanks (6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3) and No 11 seed Cameron Norrie (6-7 (8), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4) in the previous rounds.

Earlier in the tournament, Auger-Aliassime, ranked No 7, won against Vasek Pospisil (1-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3), Slovak Alex Molcan (3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2) and Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, the No 28 seed (6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4).

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 24.297.942, most recent results first):