Inconsistent seasons collide as De Minaur and Lehecka eye a strong start on grass.
Fifth seed Alex de Minaur opens his Queen’s Club campaign against the unseeded Jiri Lehecka in what promises to be a compelling first-round clash. Both players have had solid flashes this season, though consistency has been an issue.
Lehecka claimed a title in Brisbane, albeit via a walkover from Reilly Opelka in the final, while de Minaur reached the Rotterdam final, only to be stopped by Carlos Alcaraz. With the grass season now underway in London, both will look to reset and make a strong statement.
De Minaur has delivered a relatively steady campaign in 2025. He kicked off the year with a quarterfinal showing in Melbourne, followed by a runner-up finish in Rotterdam, where he pushed Carlos Alcaraz to three sets. The Aussie stayed on track with quarterfinal runs in Doha and Barcelona and a semifinal in Monte Carlo, though that ended in a surprise loss to Lorenzo Musetti.
Since then, it’s been a bit of a dip, with no results beyond the Round of 16. Still, de Minaur’s numbers hold up: 119 aces, a strong 74% win rate on first-serve points, 34% on first-serve returns, and a sharp 47% break point conversion rate.
Lehecka, on the other hand, started hot with a title run in Brisbane, where he took down Nicolas Jarry and Grigor Dimitrov before Reilly Opelka’s injury handed him the final by walkover. He followed it up with a semifinal in Doha but then hit a patchy stretch of form.
The Czech has since rebounded with back-to-back quarterfinals in Hamburg and Stuttgart. Statistically, Lehecka has been impressive: 215 aces so far this season, 73% first-serve points won, 30% first-serve return points won, and a solid 45% break point conversion.
Alex de Minaur leads the head-to-head against Jiri Lehecka, 1-0, following a gritty comeback win in their lone meeting at the 2023 Davis Cup quarterfinals. That clash saw the Aussie rally from behind, sealing the victory with a tense, drama-filled tiebreak in the second set.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Davis Cup Finals | Quarterfinals | Alex de Minaur | 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 |
| Alex de Minaur | Category | Jiri Lehecka |
| 12 | Current Ranking | 30 |
| 276-166 | Career W-L | 97-78 |
| 27-11 | YTD W-L | 20-12 |
| 9 | Career Titles | 2 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 0 | YTD Titles | 1 |
De Minaur’s consistency, head-to-head edge, and strong all-around stats, especially his break point conversion, give him the upper hand. Lehecka’s power game and recent resurgence make him dangerous, but unless he redlines, the Aussie’s resilience should prevail.
Prediction: Alex de Minaur in straight sets
With de Minaur listed as the 21/50 favorite, the odds back his steadier form and previous win over Lehecka. The Czech, priced at 37/20, offers underdog value with his serve-heavy game.
Here are the betting odds according to BetMGM:
Alex de Minaur: 21/50
Jiri Lehecka: 37/20
nfl
mma
