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Tsitsipas Beats Lehecka to Reach US Open Fourth Round

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated 18th-seeded Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to reach the US Open fourth round for the first time.
  • The Greek hit four times as many aces as Lehecka and advanced to a Grand Slam round of 16 for the first time in more than two years.
  • Tsitsipas said he is pain-free after back problems disrupted his 2025 season and credited New York's Greek-American crowd with helping him through the match.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is back in the US Open round of 16, and he got there by overcoming both Jiri Lehecka and a season that had repeatedly gone off course.

You carried me through this match

· Stefanos TsitsipasTsitsipas thanked the crowd after his victory, referring to support from New York's Greek-American community.

The former top-five player defeated the 18th-seeded Czech 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 on Friday to reach the fourth round in New York for the first time. The third-set tiebreak was the turning point. Tsitsipas struck two consecutive aces, while Lehecka double-faulted and missed routine ground strokes.

Tsitsipas finished with 34 winners to Lehecka's 22 and served four times as many aces. He closed the match with a service winner, then saluted the crowd after an on-court interviewer pointed to the vocal support from New York's sizeable Greek-American population. "You carried me through this match," Tsitsipas told the spectators.

This season might not have been the best that I've had, but at least I wake up every single day, I'm happy that I don't have any pain, and I know I can go practice without any uncertainty of how my body is going to respond

· Stefanos TsitsipasHe described his recovery from the back problems that disrupted his 2025 season.

The victory follows his first-round upset of rising French player Arthur Fils and gives Tsitsipas his deepest Grand Slam run in more than two years. He said he was playing without pain after back problems derailed his 2025 campaign. "This season might not have been the best that I've had, but at least I wake up every single day, I'm happy that I don't have any pain, and I know I can go practice without any uncertainty of how my body is going to respond," he said.

I don't know if it is at the right time, but it is happening

· Stefanos TsitsipasHe discussed ending his coaching relationship with his father.

Tsitsipas, 28, was a two-time Grand Slam finalist and a fixture in the top 10 during the first part of the 2020s. His standing has since been challenged by the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He also ended his complicated coaching relationship with his father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, in June, calling the separation permanent. He now works with Thomas Perrin and Patrick Mouratoglou. "I don't know if it is at the right time, but it is happening," Tsitsipas said. "In Greece, we have a saying, 'It's better late than never,' so I go by that."

In Greece, we have a saying, 'It's better late than never,' so I go by that

· Stefanos TsitsipasHe explained his approach to the changes in his career and coaching team.
About this summary

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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