MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 2, 2024

Jiri Lehecka

Press Conference

J. LEHECKA/D. Medvedev

6-4 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Not the way you would have wanted to win the match, but how do you feel at the moment?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, so, of course, exactly as you said, this is not the way I wanted to win a quarterfinal in Masters 1000 event, but what to say? I'm through. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Tomorrow you will face Auger-Aliassime. You won your last match, Australian Open. This makes you confident for the match?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, definitely yes. We know each other a bit, Felix, I would say pretty well. We practiced together a couple of times. We played this amazing match at Australian Open last year.

Definitely I think that it will be great matchup. I think that we both kind of know what to expect from each other. It wouldn't be easy, for sure. We are in a position in the phase of the tournament where you cannot really pick an opponent to play semifinal against, so everyone who is on the field is super strong, and hopefully I will be the luckier one tomorrow.

Q. Even if it's not the way you wanted to qualify, what is the feeling to be in semifinals of this tournament?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, it's great feeling, honestly. You know, to play my first clay court event of the year, Masters 1000, and to be in the semis is just great for me. It's just something what I wished for for a long time after last year where I didn't really play well in Masters 1000 events.

I don't want to say that I was a bit shy to compete well or to play my best tennis. I gained some important experience which helped me in the matches like against Rafa, you know, and against these kind of matchups.

Yeah, I'm happy that also after Indian Wells this year I managed to play well another Masters 1000 event, and it's very important milestone for me to play my first semifinal.

Q. There has been a lot of debate about these longer two-week Masters, and one of the effects of that is obviously towards the back end of the tournament there aren't many matches on. Because Sinner withdrew and Medvedev retired, there was only one set of ATP singles today. What do you think of that? Do you think the schedule maybe needs to change with these longer events?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, it's not easy question. I know that there are big debates about that, but in my opinion, you know, to these two-week events are not that bad if you do have enough space for everyone, in my opinion.

You know, when you do have these events on sites where you have a lot of space to practice, to prepare well, then, you know, if it's something what people want, if it's something what is good for the TV and for everyone, then, all right, it most probably makes sense.

I don't know. I'm not in a position to make such decisions. I just need to accept what is going on. Of course when, you know, you have the one-week Masters, like, for example in Monte-Carlo and then you, let's say, have two days of rain, it's not easy to reschedule the whole thing. So that's something these two-week format tournaments helps with.

But at the same time, yeah, at the same time in the second week there is not many matches, but in my opinion, when the tournament is combined, together with women's, it's all right. But of course everyone can have his own opinion on this thing.

For me, I'm still in the position where I didn't really play many one-week tournaments. You know, let's say last year was the first year of my career where I played the full ATP schedule on tour. I played all Masters 1000 events. I'm still trying to find what is good for me, where I feel good, and this is something which is for sure long.

It's not easy, you know, to be away from home for four weeks if you are, let's say, playing well somewhere, let's say here and then you need to go directly to Rome, or if you are in the States you are competing well in Indian Wells and then you need to stay there for Miami Open, it's not easy, you know, to be on these tournaments for such a long time.

But it's part of the game, you know. Whoever is going through these moments better, who is doing better, and who is feeling more confident about staying away from home, then these are the players who are most successful. So that's probably it.

Q. I was wondering how do you digest this win against Rafa? And what was the specific role of Tomas Berdych? He came especially for this match, I think?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, so, I mean, my match against Rafa is something I will of course keep in my mind for a long time, because, you know, what else can I dream of than beating Rafa in Spain on this amazing stadium in front of, you know, such a loud crowd. It wasn't easy.

I mean, he is, I would say, a very solid player on clay (smiling). No, I'm joking. Of course he's the best one whoever walked this planet if we speak about playing on clay.

But for me it wasn't easy because I wasn't playing only against Rafa. I was playing against another 12,000 people cheering for him. So this was very mentally tough for me, and I'm very happy that I manage it well. Of course it's great win for me, and I wanted to focus on today's match, you know, because I didn't want to let my emotions go with that match.

I just wanted to focus well and to refocus again on another match, because I knew that Daniil is totally different player than Rafa, that he's playing very deep, you know, flat shots. He's moving incredibly well. He's serving well.

So I knew that it will be something totally different. I tried to prepare well, and unfortunately it ended the way it ended. But, you know, that's the sport. What to say?

Happened to me as well last year when I was playing against Daniil in Wimbledon, round of 16. I was forced to retire, as well. Now it happened to him.

So we kind of gave it to each other twice, which is kind of funny, you know, but at the same time it's very sad that we played two matches against each other, once it was round of 16 and once it was quarterfinal on Masters 1000, and both matches finished by retirement. So what to say.