Jiri Lehecka beat Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka two sets to one (6-2, 6-7 [5]6-4) and reached the quarter-finals of the Brisbane tournament on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
The two men fought a tough battle where the quality of service was the key. The Japanese only won 65% of points behind his first ball, compared to 88 for the Czech, and was broken four times to one. The 28th player in the world made no less than 17 aces.
Lehecka, ranked 28th in the ATP, will face Chilean Nicolas Jarry, who defeated Benjamin Bonzi, in the quarter-finals of the Queensland tournament.
Jiri Lehecka won against the Dane Holger Rune, seeded n°3 (7-5, 6-3), before this match on Wednesday against Nishioka, 69th in the ATP world.
The Japanese had dismissed the Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech (6-3, 6-4).
The other second round matches in Brisbane (ATP 250, Queensland Tennis Centre, hard, USD 766,290, results displayed from newest to oldest):
- Jakub Mensik – Dusan Lajovic: perform
- Frances Tiafoe – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard: to play
- Reilly Opelka – Matteo Arnaldi: to play
- Novak Djokovic – Gael Monfils: to play
- Jordan Thompson – Alex Michelsen: scheduled for Wednesday
- Aleksandar Vukic – Grigor Dimitrov: scheduled for Wednesday
- Benjamin Bonzi – Nicolas Jarry: scheduled for Wednesday
