MIAMI GARDENS — Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka advanced to the biggest ATP final of his rising career when he routed 28th seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-2 in the Miami Open semifinals at Hard Rock Stadium. The 21st-seeded Lehecka dominated from the opening game, breaking Fils immediately and never facing a break point throughout the match. For the second consecutive year, a player from the Czech Republic has reached the Miami Open finals, following countryman Jakub Mensik’s victory last year.
“Today was a great match,” Lehecka said in the on-court interview. “Definitely brought me a lot of confidence going into the final. To return well was one of my goals today. I didn’t want him to have time for his forehand. His forehand is amazing.” The 24-year-old finished with six aces and no double faults while winning 82 percent of his points on first serve. Lehecka sealed the victory with an ace wide to the ad court on match point, raising his arms triumphantly.
“I will be watching tonight’s match,” Lehecka said, referring to the evening semifinal between No. 2 Jannik Sinner and fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev. “Two great, experienced guys.” Lehecka will face the winner of that marquee matchup in his first finals appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 event. The Czech player has not been broken once during the entire tournament, maintaining perfect service games throughout his run.
The men’s draw became significantly lighter after several high-profile withdrawals and upsets affected the field. Carlos Alcaraz suffered an upset loss in the third round to Sebastian Korda, while Novak Djokovic skipped the event entirely due to a right shoulder ailment. These absences opened opportunities for players like Lehecka to make deeper runs in the prestigious tournament.
Lehecka and Mensik previously enjoyed success in South Florida six months ago as part of Czech Republic’s second-round Davis Cup victory over the United States. The Czech duo’s strong performance in that team competition foreshadowed their individual success at the Miami Open. Lehecka said his goal for 2026 was to be more consistent in his practices, which he feels prevented him from making a Masters 1000 final previously.
Fils, the 21-year-old Frenchman, entered the semifinal with momentum after saving four match points in his quarterfinal victory over American Tommy Paul. However, he struggled from the opening game when his running forehand hit the base of the net, allowing Lehecka to cash in on break point. Lehecka broke Fils twice in the first set and maintained his dominance throughout the second set.
The Miami Open final will determine whether Czech Republic can claim back-to-back titles at the Hard Rock Stadium venue. Lehecka’s path to his first Masters 1000 final represents a significant breakthrough in his professional career, as he seeks to join Mensik as recent Czech champions in Miami Gardens.