Brussels
\n Lehecka, last year\u2019s finalist, ignites Brussels revenge bid <\/p>\n
Czech downs #NextGenATP Bailly; Collignon reaches first ATP Tour QF<\/p>\n
October 15, 2025<\/p>\n
Jasper Jacobs\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Jiri Lehecka improves to a 5-1 record at the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
The BNP Paribas Fortis European Open<\/a> may have relocated from Antwerp to Brussels for the 2025 edition, but that won\u2019t stop Jiri Lehecka<\/a> in his title quest on the indoor hard courts.<\/p>\n The third seed and last year\u2019s finalist opened his campaign on Wednesday with a classy 6-3, 6-2 win against #NextGenATP Belgian Gilles Arnaud Bailly<\/a> to reach the quarter-finals. Lehecka slammed 11 aces en route to a 27th hard-court victory of the season \u2014 the fifth-most on the ATP Tour.<\/p>\n W\ud83c\udf0eRLD CLASS<\/p>\n No.3 seed @jirilehecka<\/a> impresses in a 6-3 6-2 victory over [Q] Bailly @BNPPFEUOpen<\/a> | #BNPPFEuropeanOpen<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/fJEaJi6QgS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cLast year, this tournament was a good success for me,\u201d said Lehecka, who is now 5-1 at the Belgian ATP 250 event, according to the Infosys ATP Win\/Loss Index. \u201cI\u2019m very happy to be here in front of the Belgian fans and I\u2019m happy with my performance today.\u201d<\/p>\n Bailly, 18, claimed his maiden ATP Tour win against Daniel Altmaier<\/a> on Tuesday and rose five spots to 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. However, he was unable to contain the World No. 17 Lehecka, who is competing just one place below his career-high No. 16.<\/p>\n Into his seventh tour-level quarter-final of the season, Lehecka will next face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi<\/a>, who accelerated past countryman Valentin Royer<\/a> 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.<\/p>\n Belgian wild card Raphael Collignon<\/a> continued his dream run on home soil with a gutsy 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(10) win against Francisco Comesana<\/a> to reach his maiden ATP Tour quarter-final. The 23-year-old is up 11 spots to No. 79 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, surpassing his career-high No. 81.<\/p>\n Watch Collignon win a thrilling third-set tie-break:\u00a0<\/p>\n Next in his quest in Brussels will be fourth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/a>, who overturned a sluggish start to defeat Marcos Giron<\/a> 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4 to advance to his personal-best seventh quarter-final of the season.<\/p>\n Qualifiers Yannick Hanfmann<\/a> and Nikoloz Basilashvili<\/a>, who are tied with Ethan Quinn<\/a> for the most successful qualifications (8) on the ATP Tour this season, both booked their spots in the second round of the main draw on Wednesday. Hanfmann rallied past Matteo Arnaldi<\/a> 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 to set a meeting with top seed Lorenzo Musetti<\/a>, while Basilashvili brushed off Quentin Halys<\/a> 6-4, 6-4.<\/p>\n Damir Dzumhur<\/a> advanced to a clash with second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime<\/a> after moving past #NextGenATP wild card Federico Cina<\/a> 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(3). The 18-year-old Cina is, however, 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and still has an outside shot at debuting at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF<\/a> in Jeddah in December.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n