Daniil Medvedev’s run at the Mutua Madrid Open has been cut short due to injury, as he was forced to retire during the opening set of his quarter-final match against Jiri Lehecka. The Russian, who has been battling a right leg issue, lost the first set 6-4 before deciding he could not continue. Lehecka, ranked 31st in the world, will now advance to his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, where he will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Medvedev had received treatment on his upper right leg while leading 3-2 in the first set, complaining about difficulty moving to his right. He also required attention at 4-3, with Lehecka breaking serve in the ninth game to win the set. After losing the set, Medvedev opted not to continue, handing the match to Lehecka. “Tough to say because when I stretch I don’t feel, but when I move I basically cannot move,” Medvedev told his trainer. Lehecka won the final three games of the day, hitting two aces and winning 15 of his 16 first-service points to set up a semi-final clash with Auger-Aliassime. “It’s never easy in a match like this,” Lehecka said post-match. “If I were to choose the way how to win this match, it wouldn’t be like that. 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, 22, won his first ATP title earlier this season in Adelaide and also defeated Spanish star Rafael Nadal in the previous round of Madrid. The men’s match schedule for Thursday was shorter than usual due to the withdrawal of top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy, who pulled out with a hip injury, giving Auger-Aliassime a walkover into the semi-finals. Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the seventh seed and highest-ranked player left in the draw, will face Taylor Fritz in the opening semi-final on Friday, before Auger-Aliassime’s clash with Lehecka headlines the evening session. In other news from the Mutua Madrid Open, British doubles pair Jamie Murray and Michael Venus defeated French duo Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia to reach the semi-finals.
Medvedev Retires Due to Injury, Lehecka Advances to Maiden ATP Masters 1000 Semi-Final
