An already horrific day for ticket buyers got a lot worse on Thursday evening as Daniil Medvedev was forced to retire from his match against Jiri Lehecka with a groin injury.
Thursday’s quarter-final lineup had already been chopped in half with the withdrawal of Jannik Sinner due to a hip problem, meaning fans had just one ATP match to look forward to.
While the match at least started, unfortunately, it only lasted 34 minutes, as the third-seeded Russian struggled to move in the first few games, making it a non-contest.
To his credit, Medvedev tried to play after receiving an off-court medical timeout when leading 3-2, but he was in no real shape to continue and threw in the towel after dropping the first set 6-4.
Madrid Open 2024 Day 9 Quarter Final Results
| Winner | Loser | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|
| Felix Auger-Aliassime | Jannik Sinner (1) | Walkover |
| Jiri Lehecka | Daniil Medvedev (3) | 6-4 (RET) |
Medvedev Retires Against Lehecka
Medvedev’s retirement helped Jiri Lehecka reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final at the Mutua Madrid Open, and the match itself has nothing much to discuss.
By game ~3, Meddy was already looking laboured in his movement and barely running to the ball. All he had in the locker were his serve and to try and slap some winners to finish points.
He returned to play after an off-court medical timeout when he was leading 3-2, but his game did not improve significantly.
This was followed by additional on-court treatment at 4-3, during which he informed the physio he was feeling a bit better but was scared about the injury.
At 4-4, Lehecka broke serve and comfortably served out the set. Medvedev then skipped up to the net and ended the evening’s proceedings.
The Czech has now had to endure a fervent pro-Nadal crowd in his fourth-round match and a hugely disappointed crowd in the quarter-final 😁 so he’s got little in the way of support despite playing some of his best tennis.
With the win, Lehecka will face Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals. It’s not often you get a Masters 1000 semi-final between players ranked No. 31 and No. 35, respectively so it’s a big chance for one of them to make Sunday’s final.
It’s never easy in a match like this. If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn’t be like that. So of course, it’s never easy to see your opponent struggling, but at that moment, you just need to focus on yourself, trying to get the maximum level out of yourself. Lehecka on Medvedev’s unfortunate retirement,
Match Stats
| Daniil Medvedev | Jiri Lehecka | |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 1 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 0 |
| 1st Serve Percentage | 70% | 67% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 65% (15/23) | 94% (15/16) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 60% (6/10) | 63% (5/8) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (2/3) | 0% (0/0) |
| 1st Return Points Won | 6% (1/16) | 35% (8/23) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 38% (3/8) | 40% (4/10) |
| Break Points Converted | 0% (0/0) | 33% (1/3) |
| Winners | 6 | 7 |
| Unforced Errors | 8 | 7 |
| Net Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 83% (5/6) |
| Max Points In Row | 4 | 6 |
| Service Points Won | 64% (21/33) | 83% (20/24) |
| Return Points Won | 17% (4/24) | 36% (12/33) |
| Total Points Won | 44% (25/57) | 56% (32/57) |
| Max Games In Row | 1 | 3 |
| Service Games Won | 80% (4/5) | 100% (5/5) |
| Return Games Won | 0% (0/5) | 20% (1/5) |
| Total Games Won | 40% (4/10) | 60% (6/10) |
Highlights
Madrid Open 2024 Semi-Finals
- Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Jiri Lehecka (30)
- Taylor Fritz (12) vs Andrey Rublev (7)