AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2023

Jiri Lehecka

Press Conference

J. LEHECKA/C. Norrie

6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference of Jiri Lehecka. Congratulations. Into the fourth round of the Australian Open. How do you feel?

JIRI LEHECKA: Thank you. I feel great. Honestly it was a great match against opponent who is so tough to beat. It's always pleasure, you know, to play on the big stages, on the big courts.

Today the crowd and everyone was watching our match, it was just amazing feeling to play five-setter, a big battle like that. I think that everyone enjoyed that. Me by myself, I enjoyed it a lot. I'm happy that I won that.

THE MODERATOR: Any questions in the room.

Q. Another tough one in your next match. How excited are you to play another top player here in Melbourne?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, I'm very excited because, of course, I mean, for me to play all these guys, it's something that is the reason why I play tennis.

It was always my dream to win the big matches at a Grand Slam. To have a chance to play on the biggest stages, you know, here at Melbourne, it's a dream come true for sure. But in the other hand, I know that I have the level to beat these guys. I know that my game fits me well for conditions over here.

So, of course, he is the favorite again, but I think that he knows how I can play. I know his weaknesses. I know his strengths for sure, and I think it will be great matchup.

Q. And then obviously today a tough battle, as you said. He is sort of known as a guy who is good in those sorts of battles. He sort of wears people down, but you sort of surged at the end. What were you happiest with with your performance?

JIRI LEHECKA: Yeah, it's my first time to play Cameron. It has always been a battle. You know, first time I played him on Davis Cup I lost in three sets. Then one week ago, two weeks ago in Auckland, you know, I lost tough battle again in three sets.

So hopefully and luckily today I was the better one. Of course, you know, to find any tactics on a player like him in these conditions on the big stages is nothing easy. It's just like you need to grind and fight every ball. You know, you need to go after everything that you've got.

Then if you played important moments really well, then you have the chance to beat him, you know, because he is a great player. He knows exactly how to play when he is under pressure. He knows when to let you play a bit, when to go a bit more aggressive way. So this is something that I learned through my matchup last time.

Of course, all these windy conditions, it's something that for him as a lefty player it fits him well. For my game, at the same moment, it's not the best thing what I can have. I played good in it, but there were some moments which I didn't like and where I didn't play my best tennis.

But I'm very glad that I pushed through, and in the last two sets I was the better one.