Jiri Lehecka beat eighth seed Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2 in about an hour in the Japan Open semi-finals in Tokyo, hitting 10 aces and facing no break points. The Czech reaches his seventh tour-level final and meets defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Tokyo, Japan: Jiri Lehecka’s semi-final in Tokyo on Monday was a match without a single moment of panic. Valentin Vacherot, the eighth seed, never once got a look at a break point.
It took Lehecka 68 minutes to win 6-4, 6-2 and reach the final of the Japan Open, where he will meet Carlos Alcaraz.
A serve that gave nothing away
The numbers on Lehecka’s serve were almost absurd. He hit 10 aces without a double fault and won 22 of 24 points on his first serve, a rate of 92 per cent. Even behind his second serve he won 14 of 16, which works out at 88 per cent. In total he dropped only four service points in the match.
Facing no break points, Lehecka was able to play freely on return, and Vacherot was never allowed to settle.
Breaking when it mattered
The first set was the closer of the two. Lehecka served five aces and won every point on his second serve in that set, converting one break to take it 6-4.
The second set was a different matter. He won all 11 of his first-serve points and returned with ruthless aggression, winning 76 per cent of the points on Vacherot’s second serve in the set. Two breaks gave him the set 6-2. Over the match he won 21 receiving points to Vacherot’s four, took three breaks and conceded none.
A 24-year-old on a streak
The 24-year-old has now won six matches in a row, a run that includes his contribution to the Czech Republic’s recent Davis Cup win over the United States. This is his seventh final on the tour and second of 2026, following his runner-up finish in Miami. He has won two titles from his seven finals.
Alcaraz stands in the way
The opponent is the toughest available. Alcaraz, the defending champion, came from a set down to beat Jaume Munar in the other semi-final. The Spaniard leads the head-to-head 3-1, with Lehecka’s lone win coming in Doha in 2025.
Lehecka knows what the task is. “It’s one of the top challenges in our sport right now: To play a guy like him,” he said.
Score: Jiri Lehecka (CZE) bt Valentin Vacherot (MON) 6-4, 6-2 — Japan Open, Tokyo, semi-final
Next: Final v Carlos Alcaraz (ESP), Tuesday
