When Jannik Sinner is on top of his game, no matter the surface, he is nearly unbeatable. Perhaps on clay, if he is playing his best and Carlos Alcaraz is facing him and playing his best, Alcaraz is still his better, but only on that surface.
If the Italian is playing exceedingly well, which he was on Saturday in the third round of the 2025 French Open, against anyone else, he is going to win, and it likely won't be a close match. Jiri Lehecka learned that from the first ball of the match.
The ATP No. 1 lost only three games in the entire match, but completely overwhelmed Lehecka in the opening set as Sinner took the set at love. He wasn't doing anything beyond his normal play, but his efficiency was ruthless.
Jannik Sinner moves into fourth round of 2025 French Open by beating Jiri Lehecka
He was hitting to all corners of the court, moving at his usual elite level, and was getting his first serve in. Lehecka tried to be a bit more bombastic with his first serve, taking chance he would not otherwise, but Sinner adjusted his position and was able to return from either wing with speed and placement.
There was nothing Lehecka could have done. He didn't play poorly. Sinner simply took the match from him. That is what top-ranked players do. The Italian has played nine sets in the clay-court Grand Slam this year and has yet to drop one of them.
Poor Lehecka landed 63 percent of his first serves, but won only 43 percent of the points. Meanwhile, Sinner landed about the same, but won 82 percent of his first serve points. The number was surprisingly even higher with his second serve, as the Italian won 85 percent of those points.
Sinner will next play Andrey Rublev, who had a walkover against Arthur Fils in the third round. As quickly as Sinner defeated Lehecka, he should be as fresh as Rublev, even though the Russian will have had three days off. That match is scheduled for Monday.