Czech Lehecka Claims First ATP Title in Adelaide

 Jiri Lehecka of The Czech Republic celebrates victory against Jack Draper of the United Kingdom during the Mens Singles Final match of the 2024 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive Tennis Center in Adelaide, Saturday, January 13, 2024. (AAP)
Jiri Lehecka of The Czech Republic celebrates victory against Jack Draper of the United Kingdom during the Mens Singles Final match of the 2024 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive Tennis Center in Adelaide, Saturday, January 13, 2024. (AAP)
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Czech Lehecka Claims First ATP Title in Adelaide

 Jiri Lehecka of The Czech Republic celebrates victory against Jack Draper of the United Kingdom during the Mens Singles Final match of the 2024 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive Tennis Center in Adelaide, Saturday, January 13, 2024. (AAP)
Jiri Lehecka of The Czech Republic celebrates victory against Jack Draper of the United Kingdom during the Mens Singles Final match of the 2024 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive Tennis Center in Adelaide, Saturday, January 13, 2024. (AAP)

Jiri Lehecka came from behind to claim his first ATP tour title with a 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory over Briton Jack Draper in an absorbing final at the Adelaide International on Saturday.

The Czech reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last year and will be battle-hardened for his third trip to Melbourne Park after the tight two-hour contest against fellow 22-year-old Draper.

In the women's final at Memorial Drive Tennis Center, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia beat Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-2 - with Ostapenko breaking serve five times in the match.

In the men's final, a single service break was enough to give lefthander Draper the opening set but Lehecka levelled up the contest when he managed the second break of the match in the next set.

That appeared to knock a bit of the stuffing out of Draper, who was also seeking his maiden tour title, and Lehecka raced to a 3-0 lead in the decider.

Draper, whose career has been blighted by injuries, never gave up the fight and had three break points at 3-1 but Lehecka saved them all and sealed the title with an unreturnable serve after just over two hours on court.

"It's hard for me to say anything because I'm so emotional after winning my first title in Adelaide, I'm so excited," Lehecka said after the trophy presentation.

"Such an amazing way to start the year."

Lehecka, the 32nd seed, takes on Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the first round in Melbourne, while Draper, who lost to Rafa Nadal last year in his only previous match at the Australian Open, faces American Marcos Giron.

Ostapenko's win assures the Latvian of a return to the top 10 in the world rankings for the first time since 2018, as the 26-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals in Brisbane last week, showed impressive form before the Australian Open.

Ostapenko, the 11th seed in Melbourne, faces Australia's Kimberly Birrell in the first round, and will be looking to improve on her best performance at the tournament last year when she reached the quarter-finals and lost to Elena Rybakina.

Kasatkina, number 15 in the world, reached the final in Adelaide with two walkovers in the previous rounds, and the 26-year-old will take on American Peyton Stearns in the first round in Melbourne.



Amorim Says He Would Have 63-Year-Old GK Coach on Bench for Man United Rather Than Rashford 

Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
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Amorim Says He Would Have 63-Year-Old GK Coach on Bench for Man United Rather Than Rashford 

Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United's Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in London on January 26, 2025. (AFP)

Ruben Amorim says he would rather have Manchester United’s goalkeeper coach in his squad than Marcus Rashford after appearing to question the 27-year-old’s commitment to the club.

Out-of-favor Rashford has not played for his hometown club since Dec. 12 and seems firmly out in the cold under the United manager after again not making the squad for the 1-0 win at Fulham in the Premier League.

Amorim went as far as saying that 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital is more likely to gain minutes than the England forward.

“It’s always the same reason (why Rashford is not playing),” Amorim said Sunday on the eve of his 40th birthday. “The reason is the training, what I think a footballer should do in training, in life and every day. If things don’t change, I will not change.

“It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum and the right things then we can use every player.

“Today on the bench we missed a bit of pace to change the game but I prefer it like this, I will put (in) Vital before I put (in) a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day, so I will not change in that department.”

Rashford, who campaigned against child poverty during the COVID pandemic, posted “Congratulations on the win lads” on social media.