Match Report
\n Lehecka locks in, sinks Fils in Miami to reach maiden M1000 final<\/p>\n
Czech will play Sinner or Zverev in biggest title match of his career<\/p>\n
March 27, 2026<\/p>\n
Carmen Mandato\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Jiri Lehecka in action against Arthur Fils on Friday in Miami.
\n By Andy West<\/p>\n
Jiri Lehecka<\/a> produced a watertight semi-final performance to break new ground Friday at the Miami Open presented by Itau<\/a>. <\/p>\n The 21st-seeded Czech eased to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph against Arthur Fils<\/a> inside Hard Rock Stadium to march into his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final. Lehecka, a two-time ATP Tour champion, did not face a break point en route to booking a championship-match appointment with Jannik Sinner<\/a> or Alexander Zverev<\/a>. <\/p>\n Game. Set. Jiri Masterclass. \ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83c\udfeb<\/p>\n Nothing could faze @jirilehecka<\/a> today as he reaches his maiden Masters 1000 final, defeating Fils 6-2, 6-2!@MiamiOpen<\/a> | #MiamiOpen<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/bWs9SsjWlL<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) March 27, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Lehecka\u2019s emotions on match point represented a stark contrast to his previous Masters 1000 semi-final appearance. In Madrid in 2024, the Czech was forced to retire from his last-four clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime<\/a> after just six games due to a back injury. Nearly two years later, and the 24-year-old has marched into the Miami final having not dropped serve once across his five matches so far. He is the first player to reach a Masters 1000 championship match without losing serve since Novak Djokovic<\/a> in Shanghai in 2018. <\/p>\n \u201cIt feels great. It\u2019s definitely something I\u2019ve been working towards the whole year and the whole pre-season,\u201d said Lehecka, when asked about his red-hot form. \u201cI really trusted my game and the work I put in. It didn\u2019t matter when, but I knew it would come and today was a nice example of how I want to play. I executed it well, so I\u2019m very happy with today\u2019s performance.\u201d <\/p>\n With his commanding 75-minute victory, Lehecka avenged his quarter-final defeat to Fils in Doha last month and levelled the pair\u2019s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2. The 24-year-old Czech also ensured he will on Monday improve on his career high of No. 16 in the PIF ATP Rankings: Lehecka is currently up eight spots to No. 14 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, and he would rise to No. 12 if he goes on to lift the trophy in South Florida. <\/p>\n \u201cOf course I\u2019m very excited that I\u2019m in a final. It was definitely one of my goals,\u201d said Lehecka. \u201cAt the same time, I know that it is just a sport. There are more important things going on in the world right now, so that\u2019s definitely something I\u2019m trying to remind myself. I\u2019m just trying to do what I do best, and I definitely enjoy being on a court like this. So I\u2019m trying to live in the present and we will see how it goes on Sunday.\u201d <\/p>\n You May Also Like: Lehecka on latest Masters 1000 run in Miami: ‘I’m a different player now’<\/a><\/p>\n Lehecka capitalised on a slow start from Fils to set the early running inside Hard Rock Stadium. The Czech broke serve in the first game of the match and that set the tone for the encounter. Fils was given little chance to settle as Lehecka struck the ball cleanly off both wings and offered precious few chances to his opponent in his service games. <\/p>\n After notching a second break of Fils\u2019 serve en route to claiming the opening set, Lehecka exerted similar dominance on the second set. The Czech won six of the final seven games and wrapped his win having converted four of 10 break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats. <\/p>\n Fils, who cut a frustrated figure at times in the face of his opponent\u2019s inspired performance, struggled to rouse his best level on his Masters 1000 semi-final debut. At times the Frenchman also appeared to be feeling the physical effects of his marathon quarter-final win against Tommy Paul<\/a>, in which he saved four match points to prevail in a deciding-set tie-break. <\/p>\n Lehecka is the eighth Czech player to reach a Masters 1000 final in series history (since 1990). In Sunday\u2019s final, he will bid to emulate his countryman Jakub Mensik<\/a>, who last year upset Djokovic to clinch the Miami crown. <\/p>\n