Lehecka Fights Back to Beat Struff and Reach Basel Final

Jiri Lehecka is through to the Basel final after a comeback win over Jan-Lennard Struff, recovering from a set down to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday. The Czech eighth seed steadied himself after dropping the opener, took a tight second set, and then held his nerve in the decider to end the German's impressive week. Struff had arrived in the semi-finals full of confidence after ending Novak Djokovic's run earlier in the tournament, and he carried that momentum into the first set. But Lehecka's greater consistency over the longer rallies began to tell, and once he levelled the match, the momentum never swung back. Lehecka will meet Valentin Vacherot in the final after the Monegasque beat Taylor Fritz in the other semi-final, a result that also dents the American's hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. For Lehecka, the Basel final is another marker of a strong autumn, and he will head into Sunday's title match as the favourite to add a significant trophy to his season.