By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, January 5, 2025
Photo credit: Chris Hyde/Getty
Jiri Lehecka shines brightly on the Australian courts!
The talented 23-year-old Lehecka was leading a determined Reilly Opelka 4-1 when the towering American retired during today’s Brisbane International final due to a troublesome back injury.
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This victory marks Lehecka’s second career title and reinforces his knack for kicking off the year on a high note in Australia.
Just last January, he triumphed over Nicolas Jarry, Sebastian Korda, and Jack Draper, securing his first title in Adelaide.
A bittersweet end to a fantastic week …
Wishing you a speedy recovery Reilly 🙏 Congratulations to our Champion in Brisbane @jirilehecka 🏆#Brisbaneinternational pic.twitter.com/rXZ45lsLjn
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 5, 2025
This week, Lehecka defeated notable competitors: third-seeded Holger Rune, Yoshihito Nishioka, Jarry, last year’s championGrigor Dimitrov, and finally Opelka in a match cut short by injury.
Throughout the event, Lehecka dropped only a single set, becoming the second-youngest men’s champion in Brisbane history, following 22-year-old Nick Kyrgios, who secured the title in 2018.
Lehecka shared, “It’s tough to conclude a match like this; I empathize with you, Reilly. It’s been an honor to see your return to the game, and I hope your body holds up for many more years. This week in Brisbane has been incredible. I truly enjoy playing here in Australia.”
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone who came out to support and my team.”
Great to see you back, Reilly 🙌
What a remarkable week it has been:
Rd 1 def Federico Agustin Gomez
7-5 6-4 ✅
Rd of 16 def Matteo Arnaldi
7-6 7-6 ✅
QF def Novak Djokovic
7-6 6-3✅
SF def Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
6-3 7-6 ✅#Brisbaneinternational pic.twitter.com/5QxiDZuS71— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 5, 2025
Reilly Opelka, ranked No. 293, made history by defeating Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and the formidable Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to reach his seventh career final, marking him as the lowest-ranked player to ever make the Brisbane final.
After overcoming serious injuries, including hip surgery and two wrist surgeries, Opelka moves up to No. 171 in the ATP Live Rankings and is anticipated to make a significant impact in Melbourne if he remains in good health.
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