In Brisbane, Australia, Grigor Dimitrov, the reigning champion of the Brisbane International, was forced to retire from his semifinal match on Saturday, granting Jiri Lehecka the opportunity to compete for his second title in Australia.

During the match, which saw Dimitrov trailing 6-4, 4-4, the world No. 10 sought medical attention for his groin and hip area at Pat Rafter Arena. After leaving the court for treatment, he made an attempt to continue the match before ultimately deciding to retire, allowing the 23-year-old Lehecka to advance to his fourth ATP final.

Lehecka, who celebrated his first ATP singles title last year at the Adelaide International, now finds himself on the brink of adding another trophy to his collection.

Dimitrov, a former world No. 3 player, faces a race against time to recover, as the Australian Open is set to commence on January 12 in Melbourne, giving him just a week to regain his fitness.

Reflecting on the match, Lehecka expressed concern for Dimitrov’s health, stating, “I hope it’s nothing serious for Grigor; the first set and first half of the second had a good level. I’d like to finish the match in a different way, but hopefully he’ll be all right.”