Tennis: Arthur Fils beats Jiri Lehecka and will face Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Madrid tournament

Arthur Fils was in convincing form once again, as the Frenchman eliminated the 14th-ranked Czech player in two sets. He will now face the world number one in the semi-finals.

Published on April 29, 2026 at 23:21, updated on the same day at 23:50.

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(MAHOUDEAU CLEMENT / KMSP)

A victory that solidifies Arthur Fils’ rise. He advanced to the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 in Madrid on Wednesday, April 29, by easily defeating the 14th-ranked Jiri Lehecka in two dominant sets (6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 14 minutes). After a strong performance in Miami, the Frenchman, ranked 25th in the world, continues his excellent year in 2026 with his second Masters 1000 semi-final. He will now face the ultimate challenge, world number one Jannik Sinner, who beat Rafael Jodar (6-2, 7-6).

Aurélien Tchouameni, another French international, was in attendance at the match to observe Arthur Fils’ progress. He witnessed the French number one’s solid and consistent performance against Jiri Lehecka, despite being 11 spots behind him in the ATP rankings.

Fils dominated the match from the start, leading 3-0 and then 4-1 to overwhelm the Czech player, winning the first set in 35 minutes. The second set was also controlled by Fils, securing a break at 3-3 with a passing shot to take the match in under 1 hour and 15 minutes.

After his victory in Barcelona, Arthur Fils confirms his strength in Madrid. The upcoming semi-final against Jannik Sinner will be a tough challenge. Additionally, the remaining quarterfinal matches will feature Casper Ruud against Alexander Blockx, and Alexander Zverev facing Flavio Cobolli on Friday.