Tsitsipas Beats Lehecka to Reach US Open R16

Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 on Friday night to reach the US Open round of 16 for the first time, per Sportstar and AFP. The Greek, ranked No. 53, took out the No. 18 seed and booked his first Grand Slam second week in more than two years after already upsetting No. 10 Arthur Fils in round one.

New York's Greek pocket showed up loud. Tsitsipas answered like someone who finally felt it.

From a lost first set to control

He dropped the opener in about 30 minutes, then won 19 of the next 26 games, per Tennis Majors. Lehecka finished with 41 unforced errors to 30 and 22 winners to Tsitsipas' 34. Tsitsipas served 12 aces, won 72 percent of first-serve points, and took 73 points on serve to Lehecka's 60. The third-set tiebreak flipped on two straight Tsitsipas aces and Lehecka mistakes.

"They're starting to embrace me. It feels good," Tsitsipas said on court. "I've never had this support in New York ever before." He even offered credentials to the fans who carried him, then told the room the crowd and his team dragged him through a bad start.

Shelton or Shapovalov next

Fourth round is the winner between No. 8 Ben Shelton and Denis Shapovalov. Tsitsipas said he is pain-free after back problems wrecked 2025, and he is working again with Patrick Mouratoglou alongside daily coach Thomas Perrin. That matters as much as the scoreline for a former top-five player who has been chasing rhythm while Alcaraz and Sinner own the top of the sport.

Tennis Majors noted this is also the second top-20 player he has removed from the draw this fortnight after the Fils win, and he needed four sets to get past qualifier Lloyd Harris in between. The Lehecka night was the cleanest statement yet: a lost first set, a decisive tiebreak, and a New York crowd that finally sounded invested in his side of the net.

Two top-20 scalps in one fortnight is the statement. First US Open second week is the stamp. Sportstar noted he closed on a service winner after firing four times as many aces as Lehecka, and he saluted the crowd for carrying him through the rough opening set. The new coaching setup and a pain-free body are the quieter story under the upset.

For more men's board already on Smacktok, see Alcaraz reaching the last 16 and Shelton's earlier win. Friday night belonged to the Greek comeback and a Flushing crowd that finally sounded like home.