Lehecka reaches Miami last 16 on the back of a Quinn upset run that finally ends, Fritz next
Jiri Lehecka defeated Ethan Quinn, 6-3, 7-6 (6), in the third round of the 2026 Miami Open. Lehecka is like a Masters 1000 specialist!
Jiri Lehecka, Miami 2026 | © PsNewz
Czech Jiri Lehecka, the 21st seed, beat American Ethan Quinn 6-3, 7-6 (6) at the Miami Open on Sunday evening to reach the fourth round — and in doing so ended one of the more remarkable underdog runs the tournament has produced this fortnight.
Quinn’s giant-killing act runs out of road
Quinn, ranked No. 56, had arrived in the third round on the back of wins over two former Miami champions. He had beaten Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the 2021 title holder, 6-2, 6-4, and Norwegian Casper Ruud, the 2022 finalist and 11th seed, 6-4, 7-6 (7). It was the first time Quinn had reached the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event, and he had done it the hard way. Against Lehecka, he pushed it to a tiebreak in the second set before the Czech closed it out.
The match turned on a single break. Lehecka converted at 4-3 in the first set, on Quinn’s fourth service game, and that was enough.
Lehecka quietly building a serious Masters 1000 résumé
The win was Lehecka’s seventh fourth-round appearance at a Masters 1000 event in nine attempts – a record made more striking by the fact that he has never entered Rome or Paris, leaving two of the nine out of reach entirely. He is also the third Czech man to reach the Miami fourth round this decade, following Tomas Machac, who did it in both 2024 and 2025, and Jakub Mensik in 2025.
Ranked No. 22, Lehecka has the kind of game that travels well on hard courts – big serve, clean ball-striking, and the temperament to navigate a tiebreak without flinching. Quinn tested that temperament in the second set and found no cracks.
Fritz or Opelka awaits in the fourth round
Lehecka will next face Taylor Fritz, another American. No 6 seed Fritz moved into the last 16 by defeating Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4 on the Center Court.Whichever way that goes, the Czech will enter the fourth round as the lower seed – but on this evidence, that is unlikely to weigh on him.
