The BNP Paribas Fortis European Open may have moved from Antwerp to Brussels for the 2025 edition, but that will not stop Jiri Lehecka in his title quest on the indoor hard courts.
The third seed and last year’s finalist opened his campaign on Wednesday with a classy 6-3, 6-2 victory against #NextGenATP Belgian Gilles Arnaud Bailly to reach the quarter-finals. Lehecka hit 11 aces on his way to a 27th hard-court victory of the season – the fifth most on the ATP Tour.
W?RLD CLASS
No.3 seed @jirilohecka impresses in a 6-3 6-2 win over [Q] Bailly @BNPPFEUOpen | #BNPFEuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/fJEaJi6QgS
— ATP tour (@atptour) October 15, 2025
“Last year this tournament was a good success for me,” said Lehecka, who is now 5-1 at the Belgian ATP 250 event, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “I am very happy to be here in front of the Belgian fans and I am happy with my performance today.”
18-year-old Bailly claimed his first ATP Tour victory against Daniel Altmaier on Tuesday, moving up five places to 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. However, he was unable to contain world number 17 Lehecka, who competes just one place below his career number 16.
In his seventh tour-level quarter-final of the season, Lehecka will next face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who paced compatriot Valentin Royer 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.
Qualifiers Yannick Hanfmann and Nikoloz Basilashvili, who are tied with Ethan Quinn for the most successful qualifiers (8) on the ATP Tour this season, both booked their spots in the second round of the main draw on Wednesday. Hanfmann cruised past Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting with top seed Lorenzo Musetti, while Basilashvili brushed aside Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-4.
Damir Dzumhur advanced to a clash with second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime after edging past #NextGenATP wildcard Federico Cina 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(3). However, 18-year-old Cina is 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and still has an outside chance of making her debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah in December.
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