Winston-Salem final preview and prediction: Baez vs. Lehecka

Jiri Lehecka has been one of the breakout stars on the ATP Tour in 2023.

Seemingly the only thing missing from his season-long resume is his first ATP title.

Lehecka has a chance to add that elusive accomplishment to his haul of impressive results when he faces Sebastian Baez in the Winston-Salem Open final on Saturday. They have squared off on two previous occasions (both on clay), with Lehecka prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the final of a 2020 Futures event before Baez won 7-6(4), 6-3 during 2022 Davis Cup qualifying action at home in Argentina.

A move to hard courts–and away from Argentina–certainly favors Lehecka. The 21-year-old Czech began his 2023 campaign with a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open and he also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon. Still in red-hot form, Lehecka has advanced this week with victories over Mitchell Krueger, Dominik Koepfer, and Max Purcell (he also got a semifinal walkover from Sebastian Korda).

Playing in his first hard-court tournament since Miami, Baez booked a spot in the championship match by beating Daniel Elahi Galan, Aleksandar Vukic, Laslo Djere, and Borna Coric. The world No. 42 required three sets in three of those contests–including in a 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(2) thriller against Coric that lasted three hours and 19 minutes on Friday night.

Lehecka did not have to spend a single minute on court in the semis, so he is the much more rested finalist. He is also a superior hard-court player, so this will most likely be one-way traffic in his favor.

Pick: Lehecka in 2