![\"Jiri](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/lehecka-100-wins-web.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Player Features
\n Lehecka drives love for grass to 100 wins: ‘I call it a real surface’<\/p>\n
Czech star faces Draper in Queen’s Club semi-finals on Saturday<\/p>\n
June 20, 2025<\/p>\n
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Getty Images for LTA<\/p>\n
Jiri Lehecka has not dropped a set en route to the Queen’s Club semi-finals.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n
Some things in life come more naturally, and for Jiri Lehecka, grass-court tennis appears to be one of them.<\/p>\n
After missing last year\u2019s grass swing due to a back injury, the Czech star may have approached this season\u2019s return to the surface with uncertainty. But rather than hesitating, Lehecka has silenced any doubts and surged to a significant milestone: his 100th tour-level victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always like to play on grass, I call it a real surface,\u201d Lehecka told ATPTour.com at the HSBC Championships in London, where he is into the semi-finals. \u201cIt\u2019s something you really look forward to the whole year, it\u2019s something special.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to expect from myself at the beginning of last week. It was my first match on grass in two years\u2026 Adjusting to grass for me is not that hard because it fits my style. I have the game to play on grass, and the surface helps my game be even more effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
There has been a quiet confidence around Lehecka\u2019s return to grass this year. After reaching the quarter-finals in Stuttgart last week, he has captured the attention of the west London crowd at Queen\u2019s Club, where he is into the last four without dropping a set.<\/p>\n
Armed with blistering groundstrokes off both wings and an explosive first serve, Lehecka\u2019s game translates seamlessly to grass. He first made waves on the surface with a memorable run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2023 before he was forced to retire against Daniil Medvedev.<\/p>\n
Yet even before that, Lehecka\u2019s affinity for SW19 was clear: He captured the boys\u2019 doubles title there with countryman Jonas Forejtek in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWimbledon is a special place for me,\u201d Lehecka said. \u201cIt was the first time I had success on grass. We won the junior doubles title there. There were so many firsts that year [2019]. I must say that I didn\u2019t know perfectly how to play on grass, I was just going with the flow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was my first time being at a champions\u2019 dinner as a junior winner\u2026 I enjoyed my time so much back then and of course, two years ago I was playing pretty well on grass. It\u2019s always special to come back to Wimbledon to compete, and just to be there at the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
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