Czech stars Jiří Lehečka and Tomáš Macháč have successfully navigated the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters, though both had to survive grueling three-set battles to secure their spots in the second round.
Lehečka Survives Three-Hour Marathon
The 11th seed, Jiří Lehečka, found himself in an unexpected struggle to assert his role as the favorite against American qualifier Emilio Nava. Coming off a strong run as a finalist at the previous Masters 1000 event in Miami, the 24-year-old from Mladá Boleslav had to grind out a marathon victory, defeating Nava 7-6, 6-7, 6-2 in a match that lasted three hours and three minutes.
The contest was a rollercoaster of momentum. In the first set, Lehečka faced three set points in the twelfth game but managed to save them all, eventually dominating the tie-break 7-1. Although, the second set saw Lehečka struggle under pressure on his own serve. Despite a resilient effort to save five set points during the second-set tie-break, he ultimately fell 8-10.
Lehečka regained his composure in the deciding set, securing an early break of serve and adding a second break in the seventh game to seal the win. This hard-fought win in Monte Carlo keeps him moving forward in the tournament, where he is now just one step closer to his previous career best. He is scheduled to face Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in the next round.
Macháč Bounces Back on Clay
Tomáš Macháč also advanced to the second round, overcoming Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. The match, which lasted two hours and 19 minutes, was a vital recovery for Macháč following a disappointing clay-court debut in Marrakech last week, where he exited after his first match.
Macháč started strong, taking the first set in 51 minutes. While he struggled with unforced errors in the second set—allowing Altmaier to level the match—he found his rhythm again after the break to secure the final set and claim his third career victory over the German.
Combined, the two Czech players spent over five hours on the Monacan clay to secure their progression. As part of the wider Czech action on April 8, 2026, the duo’s grit was on full display as they pushed through challenging conditions to maintain their tournament hopes alive.
