Jiri Lehecka vs Tomas Machac Preview & Prediction | 2026 Brisbane International | First Round

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Defending champion Jiri Lehecka begins his campaign against Tomas Machac. 

Ranking points: ATP 250

Start date/time:

Venue: Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane, Australia

Surface: Outdoor hard

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / US – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Jiri Lehecka vs Tomas Machac ticket information

Jiri Lehecka vs Tomas Machac prediction

Jiri Lehecka returns to this event as the defending champion, having won the title right at the start of last year after Reilly Opelka retired early from their match in the final. This kickstarted a fantastic year for the Czech, as he reached the final at Queen’s and then equalled his best ever run at a Grand Slam as he reached the quarter-finals at the US Open, losing to Carlos Alcaraz who would go on and win the title.

He faces a fellow compatriot in Tomas Machac. The world number 32 was force to retire from a number of events last season amid fitness concerns, but he did show his quality at times, winning the title in Acapulco and making a second successive round-of-16 appearance at the US Open. He is likely to be refreshed after some time away and he’s always a dangerous player on this surface.

This is not an easy match for Lehecka to start his title defence. He can not afford a slow start against Machac, who will be hoping to begin his season with a scalp of sorts. Nevertheless, Lehecka is a quality player and will start as the clear favourite.

Jiri Lehecka vs Tomas Machac tip: Jiri Lehecka to win