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Last year’s finalist Lehka lights up Brussels with revenge
Czech downs #NextGenATP Bailly; Hanfman, Basilashvili also advance
October 15, 2025
Jasper Jacobs/Getty Images
Jiri Lehecka improved to 5-1 at the Fortis European Open in Paris, France.
Jerome Coombe
The 2025 Fortis European Open in Paris may be moving from Antwerp to Brussels, but that won’t stop Jiri Lehecka from competing for the title on indoor hard courts.
The third seed and last year’s finalist kicked off his campaign on Wednesday with a thrilling 6-3, 6-2 victory over #NextGenATP Belgium’s Gilles Arnaud Bailly to reach the quarterfinals. Lehka blasted 11 aces to earn her 27th hard-court win of the season and move into fifth place on the ATP Tour.
World 🌎RLD level
No. 3 seed @jirilehecka Defeated the opponent 6-3 6-2 [Q] Bailey @BNPPFEUOpen | #BNPPFEuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/fJEaJi6QgS
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 15, 2025
“This event was very successful for me last year,” Lehka said. He currently has a 5-1 record in Belgian ATP 250 events, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “I’m happy to be in front of the Belgian fans and I’m very happy with my performance today.”
Bailly, 18, earned his first win on the ATP Tour on Tuesday over Daniel Altmaier and moved up five spots to No. 10 at the PIF ATP Live event in Jeddah. However, he was unable to contain world No. 17 Lehka, who is just one spot below her career-high ranking of No. 16.
Entering his seventh tour quarter-final of the season, Lehka will next face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who accelerated past compatriot Valentin Royer 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.
Qualifiers Yanik Hanfman and Nikoloz Basilashvili, who are tied with Ethan Quinn as the most successful ATP Tour qualifiers this season (eight), both secured spots in the second round of the main draw on Wednesday. Hanfmann defeated Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting with top seed Lorenzo Musetti, while Basilashvili defeated Quentin Harris 6-4, 6-4.
Damir Dzumhur defeated #NextGenATP wildcard Federico Cina 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) to advance to a match against second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime. However, the 18-year-old Cina is ranked 14th at the PIF ATP Jeddah Live event and still has a chance to make her debut at the PIF Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah in December.
