Shanghai Masters 2024: Holger Rune vs Jiri Lehecka preview, head-to-head, odds, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (12) Holger Rune vs (33) Jiri Lehecka
Date: October 8, 2024
Tournament: Shanghai Masters 2024
Round: Third Round
Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China
Category: ATP 1000
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize Money: $8,800,000
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN
Holger Rune vs Jiri Lehecka preview
Twelfth seed Holger Rune will take on Jiri Lehecka in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.
Rune has had another hectic season on the men's tour. After a runner-up finish in the Brisbane International, he reached the semifinals of the Mexican Open, Munich Open, Cincinnati Open and the Japan Open. He also registered a fourth round finish in the Wimbledon Championships, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in a three-set bout.
The Dane was two wins away from lifting the title in Tokyo last week but was denied by Arthur Fils in the last four. He started his campaign in the Shanghai with a solid win against Matteo Berrettini in the second round, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. This year, Rune is making his second appearance in the Shanghai Masters.
Jiri Lehecka, meanwhile, is slowly becoming a serious competitor on the men's tour. He's chalked up 24 wins from 38 matches this year, including a title-winning run in the Adelaide International. He also reached the semifinals of the Madrid Open but was forced to retire mid-match due to injury against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Lehecka entered Shanghai on the back of a quarterfinal exit in Beijing, at the hands of Jannik Sinner. He started his campaign with a hard-fought win over Jaume Munar in the second round, 7-6(6), 6-4. This year's edition of the Shanghai Masters marks the Czech's second appearance in the tournament.
Holger Rune vs Jiri Lehecka head-to-head
Rune leads the head-to-head against Lehecka 1-0. He defeated the Czech in the 2022 Munich Open in straight sets.
Holger Rune vs Jiri Lehecka odds
Odds will be updated when available.
Holger Rune vs Jiri Lehecka prediction
Two players with immense quality will face each other in the third round. Considering their record on paper and consistency on tour, Rune will have a slight edge over Lehecka in this bout.
The Dane has reached two Masters 1000 finals since winning in Bercy two years ago. He is close to making a significant impact again and is in fine form at the moment. Rune's patient all-around game and fluid movement on court forces his opponents to commit errors.
Lehhecka, on the contrary, silenced his critics with a brilliant run in Adelaide this year. He also showcased great poise and composure to conquer Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Open. The Czech likes to play an aggressive brand of tennis and will present a stern challenge to Rune.
The player who sniffs out half chances at regular intervals will have the upper hand in this match. However, Rune should be able to raise his level against Lehecka and book his place in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters.
Pick: Holger Rune to win in three-sets.