"He's 600 in the world": Jiri Lehecka jokes Rafael Nadal isn't favourite for Madrid Open clash for one reason
ATP
Jiri Lehecka faces Rafael Nadal in the landmark tie at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, but he goes in with a no fear attitude and joked that he should be favourite as Nadal is 600th in the world.
Lehecka will probably be a hugely tough examination though for Nadal who played three hours on Monday against Pedro Cachin and interestingly also lost to the Czech ace in practice last week. “He’s 600 in the world so I should be the favourite,” he joked to reporters.
“If I’d go on court scared about what is happening, then I don’t really need to go there. This is something I’m trying to get away from my mind. But we know it’s Rafa and it’s clay,”
“I also know I do have the level to play very good tennis this week, and these conditions are one of the worst for his clay-court tennis. I’ll go on the court like I’m going to win and I will try to show my best tennis.
“It will be a great honour and a great experience for me. We all know Rafa on clay is one of the biggest challenges in tennis. Even if he’s not having the best season, I saw his level against [Alex] de Minaur and it made me want to say that his tennis was back.
“He proved he could play great tennis again. It will be a great challenge for me and I’ll be very happy to share the court with him.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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