Young Czech tennis player Jiri Lehecka has revealed that he
teased his mentor Tomas Berdych about his record against top-3. The 22-year-old is going through a fabulous phase of his young career as he managed to book his place in the semifinal of the ongoing Madrid Open after his opponent, Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, retired from the contest after the first set because of a fitness concern.
After the match, Lehecka revealed that he teased his mentor, Berdych, about his record against the top three players. "Yeah, he talks about it a
lot,” he said. “He's not smiling that much when I ask him about his record against the top 3; I am just joking," said Lehecka when asked if Berdych spoke to him about his playing days.
"He is a guy who has been on the top for such a long
time. He has all the things that I need. His words are that he is trying to
give me some short-cuts and I totally agree with him. There are some things
that every player must go through by himself but if there is something
different that is what he is helping me with, and I think it works well.” Lehecka
will now face Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime in the semifinal of the
competition on Friday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.