When Jiri Lehecka returns to Melbourne Park this summer, it will be with the happiest of memories.
In 2023, in only his second Australian Open main-draw campaign and fifth Grand Slam in total, the Czech stunned a trio of seeds in Borna Coric (No.21), Cameron Norrie (No.11) and Felix Auger-Aliassime (No.6) on his way to the quarterfinals.
“To be in the quarter(finals), I wouldn't believe it if somebody told me this when I was on my way over (to Australia),” said Lehecka, then aged 21, after registering the first top-10 win of his career over Auger-Aliassime. “I’m super excited for everything that will come next.”
With the personal-best performance, Lehecka celebrated several notable milestones, including his top-40 rankings debut.
There was also the confidence boost from a first five-set win over Norrie in the second round, whetting Lehcecka’s appetite for further big-stage performances.
“It was just (an) amazing feeling to play (a) five-setter, a big battle like that,” said Lehecka, who’d thrilled onlookers as he combined pure ball-striking with silky movement and some deft power.
“I think that everyone enjoyed that … I enjoyed it a lot.”
While Stefanos Tsitsipas ended a dream run in the quarterfinals, Lehecka’s winning momentum was well and truly established.
At his next event, in a Davis Cup Qualifier, he claimed two straight-sets wins to help the Czech Republic advance smoothly against Portugal.
With a semifinal run in Doha, Lehecka built a five-match winning streak.
Even more impressive, however, was a quarterfinal win over Andrey Rublev to record a first victory over a top-five opponent.
The Melbourne Park breakthrough, said Lehecka, was instrumental to building that momentum.
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“It felt amazing. I mean, honestly it was one of my dreams …when you're a little kid, that's the reason why you are playing tennis, to play on centre court, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, playing a seeded player,” he commented when asked to reflect on his Australian Open quarterfinal against Tsitsipas.
“It can't get any better than this, I would say. For me of course it was a big motivation, and I don't want to say it was a pressure for me, because for me, the run was very good over there.
“Unfortunately, I didn't get the win. Stefanos (was) too good that day, but I think and I believe that I will play more of these matches on the biggest stages.”
That opportunity came at Wimbledon, where Lehecka once again showed he has the mindset to match his firepower with a five-set win over 16th seed Tommy Paul.
Other season highlights were in a team setting, with the Czech flawless in five Davis Cup singles matches for the year before Australia’s Alex de Minaur claimed a comeback victory at the Finals in November.
It was a fitting performance for a young player who’d taken inspiration from his own Davis Cup heroes – including former world No.4 Tomas Berdych, who is now an occasional member of Lehecka’s support team.
Connections are strong between the past and present Czech stars, with a teenage Lehecka leaving his family home at age 16 to train at Prostejov, where Berdych also honed his ability.
Lehecka’s primary coach, Michal Navratil, is the son of Berdych’s former coach Jaroslav. “He's the guy who got Tomas into top 10, and he was with him for a long time,” Lehecka related to media in Doha.
“Maybe if you can see some specific details in my game, which can look a bit similar to Tomas, forehand, you know, something like that, then it's a job of Jaro who took me under his guidance when I was 16.”
Powerful influences don’t stop there for Lehecka, who thrived alongside two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova as a member of Team Czech at the United Cup last summer.
“The thing which helped me the most, and what was the best way how to start the year, was the United Cup. We had a lot of fun there. We had great team spirit,” said Lehecka, who claimed an upset win over Alexander Zverev in his first match of the season.
Returned to the United Cup setting, Lehecka is paired alongside another Wimbledon women’s singles champion in Marketa Vondrousova as the Czech Republic take to the court at Perth's RAC Arena for the 2024 edition.
The sense of déjà vu couldn’t be stronger. Nor could the sense that with many happy memories already made in Melbourne, Lehecka is poised for even bigger things in his third Australian Open appearance.