Lehecka comes from a set down to beat Struff and reach Basel final

Czech Jiri Lehecka came from a set down to beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in 2 hours and 2 minutes and reach the final of the Basel ATP 500 on Saturday.

The world No. 20 was one point from defeat. Serving at 4-5 in the second set, he faced a match point, saved it and took the set 7-5 before closing out the decider 6-4.

The eighth seed will face Valentin Vacherot for the title, after the Monegasque beat Taylor Fritz in the other semi-final. Lehecka opened his week by beating Stan Wawrinka in the Swiss great’s final match in Basel, before seeing off Daniel Altmaier and Jerome Kym, the wild card who had knocked out top seed Ben Shelton.

Struff, ranked No. 58, had beaten Novak Djokovic for the first time in nine meetings in the second round.

Next week, Lehecka faces Alex Michelsen in the first round of the Paris Masters 1000, with Carlos Alcaraz waiting in the second.

Basel 2026 semi-finals

• Valentin Vacherot (MON) d. Taylor Fritz (USA, 6) 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Jiri Lehecka (CZE, 8) d. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4

Lehecka’s path to the final

• First round: d. Stan Wawrinka (SUI, WC) 7-5, 7-6 (2) in 1h53
• Second round: d. Daniel Altmaier (GER, LL) 7-5, 6-4 in 1h44
• Quarter-final: d. Jerome Kym (SUI, WC) 6-4, 6-2 in 1h25
• Semi-final: d. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in 2h02

Struff’s path to the semi-final

• First round: d. Yannick Hanfmann (GER, Q) 6-4, 6-3
• Second round: d. Novak Djokovic (SRB, 4) 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-6 (5)
• Quarter-final: d. Nuno Borges (POR) 6-2, 6-3
• Semi-final: lost to Jiri Lehecka (CZE, 8) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4