World no. 25 Jiri Lehecka notched his career-best victory at the ATP 500 event in Doha. The Czech faced world no.3 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final and earned a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory in two hours and nine minutes.
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The top seed controlled the scoreboard, taking the second set and building a 4-2 advantage in the decider. Jiri refused to give up, rattling off the final four games and emerging at the top. Lehecka will face Jack Draper in the semi-final.
The Spaniard claimed four points more than the Czech. Both players struggled behind the second serve and battledagainst 15 break chances. Jiri saved four of seven and converted four of eight opportunities, including back-to-back breaks in the closing stages of the duel.
By official stats, Carlos landed 32 winners and 25 unforced errors, while his rival embraced 18 direct points and 36 mistakes. If that's true, Jiri had to force numerous errors from his opponent to erase that deficit. The Czech hit seven service winners more while struggling from the baseline.
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Lehecka hit a double fault in the third game of the match and experienced a break. Alcaraz defended three break points in the fourth game and missed a game point that could have sent him 3-1 in front. Instead, world no. 25 pulled the break back and locked the result at 2-2.
The Czech made another push on the return in the sixth game and caused the Spaniard's forehand error with a deep return for a break and a 4-2 advantage. Jiri faced a break point in game seven after a wayward forehand and saved it with a powerful serve.
World no. 25 closed the game with an unreturned serve and remained in front. Lehecka served for the opener at 5-3. He squandered two set points and netted a backhand to offer Alcaraz a break chance. The Spaniard squandered it with a poor return.
The lower-ranked player drew the rival's mistake on the fourth break point, moving 6-3 up after 45 minutes. Carlos raised his level in the second set and provided five comfortable holds. He held at love in the first game with a forehand winner and moved 2-1 up with a hold at 15.
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World no. 3 stepped in on the return in the fourth game. He landed a lob winner for two break points and converted the first after the rival's wayward forehand. The Spaniard cemented the advantage with a service winner at 3-1 and gained confidence.
The four-time Major winner held at 15 in the seventh game for 5-2 and served for the set at 5-3. He landed a powerful serve after a deuce, wrapping up the set and forcing a decider after an hour and 20 minutes. The top seed served well early in the final set and had a chance to seal the deal.
Jiri denied a break point in game three with a service winner and faced more issues at 2-2. He netted a forehand after the serve and fell behind. Carlos held at 15 in game six and moved closer to the finish line.
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Lehecka placed a forehand long in the seventh game and faced another break point. The Czech saved it with a service winner and launched his comeback after holding for 3-4. World no 3 hit a double fault in the eighth game and faced two break points.
The top seed played a loose forehand on the first, losing serve and returning his rival to the positive side. World no. 25 landed a powerful serve in the ninth game, moving 5-4 up and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Alcaraz served to stay in the match in game ten and faced a match point after netting a backhand right after the serve. Jiri attacked on the return and caused the rival's mistake, earning a career-best win and moving into the semi-final.
