Carlos Alcaraz v Jiri Lehecka live: Tennis score and result from Queen’s final
Follow the reaction as Alcaraz beats Lehecka 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 on Andy Murray Arena
Carlos Alcaraz has beaten Czech big-hitter Jiri Lehecka in the men’s final at Queen’s Club.
Alcaraz survived a scare against fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar in the second round and improved his grass game since then, defeating Arthur Rinderknech and Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals and semis. The defending Wimbledon champion has found his rhythm and a second Queen’s crown today, following his triumph over Alex de Minaur in the final two years ago, is perfect preparation for SW19.
Alcaraz endured a stern test from Lehecka, the 23-year-old who came through a fierce battle with Jack Draper to reach his first ATP 500 final. The world No 30 used his powerful serve – a perfect weapon for grass – to clinch the second set, but it wasn’t enough, eventually going down 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2.
Follow all the reaction from the Queen’s final between Alcaraz and Lehecka below.
Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-7(5), 2-1 Jiri Lehecka*
Lahecka has won only one point on the Alcaraz serve so far in this set. A tie-break might be needed once again if he’s to win this title.
*Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-7(5), 1-1 Jiri Lehecka
A couple of quick holds, including two more Alcaraz aces, kick off the deciding set.
Second set! *Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-7(5) Jiri Lehecka
Alcaraz wins his first serve but then double faults! Feeling the pressure of Lehecka’s improved returning, perhaps. Set point...
Lehecka hammers an unreturnable serve down the T, and that’s the second set!
*Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-6 (4-5) Jiri Lehecka
Alcaraz wins a brilliant point, fetching a drop shot at the net and then rushing back to the baseline to play an unreturnable lob, and he turns to the crowd with his ear cupped.
Lehecka replies with an ace.
*Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-6 (2-4) Jiri Lehecka
On serve at 3-2 to Lehecka in the tie-break, the Czech gets an almost identical chance to the one he wasted in the previous game and this time he makes no mistake, hammering home the forehand winner from mid-court to pick up a mini-break before the change of ends.
Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 6-6 Jiri Lehecka*
Lehecka plays a brilliant drop-shot volley on the run, with Henman-esque touch, to set up 30-all and a small chance on the Alcaraz serve. The ball sits up nicely by the net on the very next point and he surely must bury it... but he blasts a routine forehand long! The entire crowd groans, what a miss with the court open wide. Alcaraz fights through to hold.
Tie-break.
*Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 5-6 Jiri Lehecka
Lehecka dishes out some more brutal serving and he holds easily enough. We are surely heading for a tie-break...
Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 5-5 Jiri Lehecka*
Another ace, another hold to love, and Lehecka is quickly back serving again.
*Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 4-5 Jiri Lehecka
Alcaraz digs in to earn himself deuce and apply some pressure, but Lehecka responds brilliantly, killing off the game with a backhand pass down the line as the Spaniard tried to rush to the net.
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