Jiri Lehecka was forced to retire from his maiden ATP Masters 1000 semi-final at the 2024 Madrid Open, which was very difficult to accept for him.
The Czech player was facing Felix Auger-Aliasime in his maiden ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, but it didn't go the way he planned. It actually went much worse because he experienced back issues early into the match, which proved too much to overcome.
He had withdrawn from a couple of events prior to the one in the Spanish capital due to back issues but was able to play a couple of matches in Madrid without any problems. In the semi-final, though, he started to feel it again, and after taking a medical timeout, Lehecka was forced to withdraw from the match.
He spasmed mid-rally and fell to his knees, after which it became obvious that he wouldn't be able to play. After shaking Auger-Aliassime's hand, the Czech broke his racquet pretty violently before storming off the court.
It was clear that he was very frustrated, which makes sense. He had a chance to go to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final, which was taken away from him in the most brutal way imaginable.
He didn't just battle and lose; he was prevented from competing in the first place. That's just brutal. After the match, the Czech player briefly addressed his fans through social media, writing that he was devastated it happened but would also bounce back.
"Devastated to finish my first Masters 1000 semifinal this way. Still a lot of positive things to take away from this tournament. Thanks for your messages. We'll bounce back."
Up next is the Italian Open, where he would like to compete, and with the way he played in Madrid, Lehecka is certainly a player to watch in the coming weeks, especially Roland Garros and the Olympic games after that.
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