Jiri Lehecka is currently running the show in Cincinnati. The 22-year-old Czech tennis star recently made a comeback to the Tour and what a comeback it has been so far! He last played at the 2024 Madrid Open in May. However, in Cincinnati, he has already downed Daniil Medvedev in the R32. Lehecka is now all set to take on America’s Frances Tiafoe in the R16. Will he come up with another stellar performance against ‘Big Foe’?
Frances Tiafoe vs Jiri Lehecka: Preview
Tiafoe has been quite impressive this year, but still, he has failed to win a title this season. His best records have been reaching the final Houston and making it through to two SFs and four QFs in his previous tournament. Tiafoe defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round and then he beat Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti by 6-3,6-2 in the second round. Can he now complete a hat-trick of wins in Cincinnati?
Nella notte, Frances Tiafoe ha battuto Lorenzo Musetti e ha celebrato verso il suo angolo facendo, apparentemente, il gesto del "too small", usato soprattutto in NBA da uno scorer dopo che il difensore non è riuscito a fermare la sua azione offensiva.pic.twitter.com/b1DeBLErm8
— Quindici Zero
(@quindicizero) August 15, 2024
His opponent in the next match, Lehecka started the season pretty well by winning a title in Adelaide. After that, he also reached one SF and two QFs in his previous tournaments. In this tournament, he toppled Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the first round by two sets, but one of the biggest results of his career came in the second round. Lehecka beat Medvedev by 7-6(2),6-4 in the R32 clash. Has Tiafoe met this ‘Giant-Killer’ before, though?
Tiafoe vs Lehecka: Head-to-Head
Yes, they have played against each other once so far in their careers. Tiafoe had the last laugh in their first meeting and he’ll be now keen to repeat a similar fate in his favorite North American hard-court swing.
- 2023 Stuttgart Open R16: Tiafoe 7-6(2),6-4.
Prediction: Tiafoe to win in three sets
Tiafoe’s form this season and the support from the home crowd will give him a slight edge in the epic encounter. Although Lehecka has already a title this year and has a win-loss record of 19-10 compared to the 21-19 of Tiafoe, still the American’s consistency this season has truly been very impressive. Tiafoe’s aggressive offensive game may come in handy against someone like Lehecka.
Jiří Lehečka hasn't played a tennis tournament in over three months due to injury…
On his return today at the Cincinnati Open he's 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧 world No.5 Daniil Medvedev in straight sets
— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 15, 2024
Both of them love to serve big and have a strong forehand in their armory. Tiafoe’s forehand carries heavy topspin and is driven by an unusual arm motion. It’ll be interesting to see how well the youngster counters these shots in the match. Apart from all these Tiafoe is also a good returner of the serve and interestingly, he looked quite proficient in the net as well in his match. He approached the net 20 times and won 70% of the net points against Musetti. So, there is a new worry looming in the skies for the Czech tennis player.
Talking about Lehecka’s strengths and weaknesses, the 22-year-old is one of the cleanest strikers on the Tour. He can hit big from both sides and his lightning forehand is his biggest weapon. His ability to keep his composure against someone like Medvedev was really impressive. However, he struggled a bit returning the serve in that match. According to the overall record for this season, Lehecka has won 85% of his service games and just 20% of his return games so far. So, considering all factors, ‘Big Foe’ looks to be the real favorite on American soil at the moment.
The post Cincinnati Open 2024: Frances Tiafoe vs Jiri Lehecka; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
