Jiri Lehecka reached his second career Masters 1000 semifinal Wednesday, the 24-year-old Czech defeating Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce 7-6 (1), 7-5 at the Miami Open.

“I knew what to expect,” Lehecka told Prakash Amritraj. “I knew he was going to play well and I knew that the level will be there. I did everything I could to stay in the match and work my way through the difficult situations.”

Lehecka had to navigate tense endings to both sets. Landaluce forced a tiebreak in the first set and made a late surge in the second, but Lehecka’s experience proved decisive as he closed out the match.

“These were the crucial moments where I feel I showed that I’m a little bit more experienced and I also did some good shotmaking there.

“The thing I saw about him was he really was the one who was winning the points. He went for it, he was very aggressive. It wasn’t just that some of the guys didn’t feel good or had a bad day. He was the one who really punished them and was aggressive going into it.”

Lehecka, the tournament’s No. 21st seed, will await the winner of the quarterfinal between Tommy Paul and Arthur Fils.

“I think both guys are playing with a little more spin if I compare them to Martin today, but they’re more experienced,” said Lehecka, the tournament’s No. 21st seed. “Both of them are great competitors. Tommy’s playing on home soil. Arthur’s in great form.

“We’re going to see. I’m very curious how that match is going to go, but I think whoever wins, on this court in Miami, I have the weapons to challenge them.”

Lehecka last reached a Masters 1000 semifinal in 2024, a run that coincided with a back injury that later sidelined him for three months. The memories from that period remain vivid for the Czech.

“I have memories I will never forget from that week: good ones and bad ones, as well,” Lehecka told Amritraj. “I will never forget how I played Rafael Nadal in his last match in Madrid. That was huge. Every time someone is cheering against me, I think how I played Rafa in Madrid and how there were 13,000 people against me. My team were the only ones hoping I would win any point!”

Frances Tiafoe arrives at the Miami quarterfinals buoyed by a deliberate shift in approach, one he summed up as a “No free lunches” mentality as he prepares to meet second seed Jannik Sinner. The American has not faced a Top 2 opponent in regular tour play since the 2024 Cincinnati Open final, when Sinner prevailed 7-6 (4), 6-2. That drought ends Thursday with their return match at Hard Rock Stadium.

Sinner comes in red hot, having won a record 28 consecutive sets in ATP Masters 1000 competition en route to another trip to the last eight. He also carries an identical total of 28 consecutive victories against American opponents dating to the 2023 Shanghai Masters. Their head-to-head favors the Italian, who has won four of their five meetings and is chasing a maiden Sunshine Double.

Tiafoe, the No. 19 seed and world No. 20, has been tested through the early rounds in Miami. He staved off a pair of match points to eliminate reigning champion Jakub Mensik in a final-set tiebreaker, then recovered late to hold off Terence Atmane in the round of 16. He credits a tougher mindset for those escapes.

“I’m relying on suffering. No free lunches. If they’re going to get over the line, let them go and earn it,” he said. “Sometimes you gotta see what happens. Guys are nervous, too.

“Today felt like a bigger win than yesterday, to be honest. With the 4-4, 0-40 down and pulling that out, that’s not a match I win about a year ago.”

This is Tiafoe’s first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal since contesting the biggest title match of his career with Sinner. Asked about preparation and visualization, he was candid about his routine.

“I definitely take a second and think about the positive things that may go on in a match. As of late, I close my eyes and think about shaking the guy’s hand with the win. Positive plays are going to help me win. Kind of put myself in that position before it already happens. I think that’s very real. Manifestation is monumental.”

Prakash Amritraj closed on a lighter note: “Big Foe, Lulu Foe, all this, but Miami Foe looks good” closed Amritraj.

The Miami Open brings another chapter in the recent rivalry between Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula. The pair have met at the Billie Jean King Cup, the WTA Finals, the Australian Open, Indian Wells and now Miami, with Rybakina holding a 4-0 edge in those meetings. Pegula has challenged her, taking sets and pushing tiebreaks, but Rybakina’s serve and court craft have remained decisive.

Both women arrive in Miami unbeaten in three matches and comfortable on the courts. Rybakina reached the final here in 2023 and 2024; Pegula made the final in 2025. One variable that could matter is the start time: the match is scheduled for 1:00 P.M., when conditions are expected to be warmer and quicker. Pegula prefers quick conditions and has not had them in recent meetings with Rybakina, which came at night in Melbourne and on the slower Indian Wells courts. That switch could help the American and add a few miles per hour to her game. Winner: Pegula

The bottom half of the ATP draw has produced intriguing quarterfinals. Martin Landaluce, a 20-year-old product of the Rafa Nadal Academy and the 2022 US Open boys champion, has been one of Miami’s breakthrough players. Counting qualifiers, he has won six matches here, three in three sets, and in his last match he recovered from a 6-2 first-set deficit to beat Sebastian Korda and saved a match point en route.

Landaluce meets Jiri Lehecka for the first time. Both play with efficient, easy power; Landaluce has momentum, while Lehecka, the 22nd-ranked veteran, has just beaten Taylor Fritz in his best match of the season. Fuel and composure are the deciding factors. Winner: Lehecka

Tommy Paul and Arthur Fils present another difficult call. The players are close in the rankings, with Paul 23rd and Fils 31st. Both are athletic, strike the ball well and have shown solid form this season — Paul at 14-6 and Fils 12-4 as he returns from a lengthy layoff. In Miami each survived at least one three-set match. Paul will have a home crowd and the evening conditions, while Fils is still rebuilding his rhythm. This one is a coin flip.