Cincinnati
Tiafoe converts sixth match point, survives late-night scare
American held three match points in second-set tie-break
August 17, 2024
Mike Lawrence/ATP Tour
Frances Tiafoe defeats Jiri Lehecka after two hours, 52 minutes.
By ATP Staff
Frances Tiafoe survived a late-night scare from Jiri Lehecka at the Cincinnati Open, where the American prevailed 6-4, 6-7(10), 7-6(5) after converting his sixth match point on Friday.
The home favourite let slip three match points in the second-set tie-break and then held a 5-2 lead in the final set. But Lehecka, who was competing this week for the first time since retiring in the Madrid semi-finals due to a back injury, won three consecutive games and eventually forced a deciding-set tie-break.
Tiafoe, who trailed by a mini-break at 2/4 in the third-set tie-break, let out a sigh of relief after clinching the match and wrote, ‘Whatever it takes’ on the camera lens. He improved to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Lehecka and advanced to the quarter-finals after two hours, 52 minutes.
The 26-year-old found an advantage in forehand-to-forehand rallies to remain the more consistent from the baseline. Tiafoe committed 34 unforced errors to Lehecka’s 59, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The three-time tour-level titlist overcame the Czech’s 24 aces and will next meet another big server, Hubert Hurkacz, in the last eight.
Lehecka, 22, was aiming to build upon his second-round upset against fourth seed Daniil Medvedev.
Did You Know?
An American male has not won the Cincinnati title since Andy Roddick in 2006. Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, placed in opposite halves, are the lone Americans left in the draw.
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