New career milestone achieved 🇨🇿 Medvedev is forced to retire in the #MMOPEN quarter-finals, sending Lehecka through to a first-ever Masters 1000 semi-final
Daniil MEDVEDEV’s injury woes spell retirement as Jiri LEHECKA surges into Madrid Open semi-finals
ATPThursday, 02 May 2024 at 21:03
Jiri Lehecka (No. 31) advanced to the semifinals of the
Madrid Open after Daniil Medvedev's (No. 4) withdrawal. The 28-year-old Russian
suffered discomfort in his right leg after just five games and was limited for
the remainder of the set, leading him to retire with thoughts of defending his
title at the Rome Open in a week.
The Czech player is in the semifinals of a Masters 1000 for
the first time in his career and will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Lehecka came into the match with full confidence after defeating 5-times
champion Rafael Nadal in straight sets.
However, Lehecka did not display his best tennis in this
match, neither before nor after the injury. The 22-year-old player nonetheless
kept up with Medvedev's pace during the early games of the match, where both
held their serves without trouble. A lob shot by Medvedev in one of the
exchanges caused his evident physical discomfort with just 15 minutes of play.
With the score at 3-2 in his favor, Medvedev called for a
medical timeout and left the court to receive treatment on his right leg. Upon
his return, it was evident from the beginning that the former world No. 1 was
having trouble putting weight on his leg and was physically limited.
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Next week, Medvedev defends the title at the Rome Open.
At the change of ends with the score at 4-3 in his favor,
Medvedev again called for the physiotherapist while showing that he was still
experiencing discomfort: "I'm feeling a bit better. But I'm so, so
scared,” the former world No. 1 said.
Medvedev ultimately lost his service game in the ninth game
and then the set 4-6, leading to his elimination in the quarterfinals and
Madrid remaining his only Masters 1000 where he has not reached the semifinals.
Lehecka's victory allows him to reach his highest historical ranking as world
No. 22, and in the semifinals, he will face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the
only non-seeded player to reach the quarterfinals and who advanced directly
after Jannik Sinner's withdrawal due to physical discomfort.
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