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Match details
Fixture: (USA) Taylor Fritz vs (CZE) Jiri Lehecka
Date: 29 December 2022
Tournament: United Cup 2023
Round: Group stage
Venue: Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, Australia
Category: United Cup
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $15,000,000
Match timing: (Dec 29) 12 noon local time, 1 am GMT, 6:30 am IST, (Dec 28) 8 pm EST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN | Australia - Stan Sport
Taylor Fritz vs Jiri Lehecka preview
World No. 9 Taylor Fritz will take on Jiri Lehecka in the group stage of the 2023 United Cup on Thursday.
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Fritz enjoyed a successful outing in 2022, breaking into the upper echeleons of men's tennis. The highlight of his year was winning the Indian Wells Masters. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the final to put an end to the Spaniard's 20-match unbeaten run. The American also claimed another couple of titles in Eastbourne and Tokyo.
Fritz also reached his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinals at Wimbledon, but went down fighting against Nadal. His consistent results saw him make his top 10 debut and clinch a berth in the ATP Finals. He made it to the semifinals of the year-end championship, but lost to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. The 25-year old finished the season with a record of 46-21.
Fritz then competed in an exhibition event in December and went on to win it as well. He defeated Hubert Hurkacz, Cameron Norrie and Daniil Medvedev to claim the Diriyah Tennis Cup.
Competing in his first full season on the ATP tour, Lehecka made quite an impression. He qualified for all four Majors, but failed to progress beyond the opening hurdle. In his ATP debut at the Rotterdam Open, he defeated players like Denis Shapovalov and Lorenzo Musetti en route to the semifinals.
Lehecka also made it to the quarterfinals of the Austrian Open Kitzbuhel. He was able to secure a spot for himself in the Next Gen ATP Finals as well, thanks to his performances throughout the season. He made it all the way to the final before losing to Brandon Nakashima.
Taylor Fritz vs Jiri Lehecka head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Taylor Fritz vs Jiri Lehecka odds
Odds will be added once they're available.
Taylor Fritz vs Jiri Lehecka prediction
As the far more experienced player in this match-up, Fritz is expected to dominate the proceedings. Lehecka has managed to punch way above his weight at times, so it would be prudent for the American to be a little cautious.
Fritz is a strong server, finishing in seventh place with respect to the number of aces hit in 2022. He likes to keep things moving at a fast pace. With blistering groundstrokes that overwhelm his opponent frequently, Lehecka might struggle to keep up with his older adversary.
The Czech youngster is a decent server himself, but when it comes to other aspects of the game, he's likely to play second fiddle to Fritz. Expect the American to make a winning start for his team.
Pick: Taylor Fritz to win in straight sets.
