Adelaide: Jiri Lehecka advanced to the Adelaide International final on Friday as third seed Sebastian Korda was destroyed 6-2, 6-1, and Jelena Ostapenko persevered to win the women’s final.
As he prepares for the Australian Open, Lehecka dominated the match against the American at Memorial Drive, winning in just 73 minutes.
In the final on Saturday, the seventh-seeded Czech will face either the eighth-seeded Russian Alexander Bublik or the British Jack Draper. Lehecka served to love to signal his intentions early on and broke in the second game.
Korda, the 22-year-old who advanced to just his second career final, was unable to put up much of a fight against the son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda.
“I’m a bit surprised that it went this well,” he commented. “But I did all I could to make it happen.”Being able to view a spot in the final makes me thrilled. My off-season work has been going well, and I did well. “We will see tomorrow, though, as there is one more step,” the Czech player, whose ranking will rise to a career-high 26, continued.
Sixth-seeded Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia in the women’s semi-finals, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), a victory that will put her back into the top 10 for the first time in six years.
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The Russian Daria Kasatkina, ranked 12th, will challenge the former French Open winner. Kasatkina defeated American second seed Jessica Pegula in a walkover when Pegula’s illness forced her to withdraw.
Ostapenko praised Alexandrova, saying, “She can serve big and was hitting great.” “But I was just trying to play my game.”Glad I prevailed in two sets. We’ve been working on it, so I’ve been attempting to play with more aggression. I’m in a terrific mood and excited for the championship.”
In the running for a sixth career trophy is Ostapenko.
