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AAP
AAP
Ethan James

Young guns Lehecka, Draper reach Adelaide final

Jiri Lehecka (pictured) has beaten Sebastian Korda to reach the final at the Adelaide International. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Talented youngsters Jiri Lehecka and Jack Draper will vie for a maiden singles title in the Adelaide International final after impressive straight-sets victories to reach the showpiece.

World No.32 Lehecka earned a semi-final upset over third-seeded Sebastian Korda 6-2 6-1 in 72 minutes, breaking serve four times to reach his second ATP final.

He hit 22 winners to eight, continuing his strong form following a straight-sets win over second-seeded Chilean Nicolas Jarry in the quarter-finals.

"Before the match, I thought it wouldn't be (over) that fast," Lehecka said.

"(I) was playing great tennis, trying to serve well. Of course it wasn't as easy as it looked because there were many key moments."

British tennis player Jack Draper at the Adelaide International.
Jack Draper beat Kazakh showman Alexander Bublik for a place in the Adelaide International final. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

Lehecka and fellow 22-year-old Draper have yet to meet at the top level after encountering each other on the junior circuit.

Draper, ranked 62 in the world and also set to play his second ATP final after a runner-up trophy in Bulgaria late last year, got past entertaining eighth seed Alexander Bublik 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

Bublik pulled out his typical underarm serves and drop shots but couldn't match the consistency of the Brit.

Draper dropped outside the world's top 100 in August after missing six months of the season with multiple shoulder injuries but looms as a tricky floater at the upcoming Australian Open

He thumped top seed Tommy Paul in the Adelaide quarter-finals and has gone one better than his semi-final appearance last year.

"It would mean a lot to me (to win a maiden title)," Draper said on court.

"I've gone one further this year (in Adelaide). I'm really hoping I can get over the line.

"The first time I played (Lehecka) was when I was 13, I think, in the Czech Republic.

"I always remember I thought he was going to be a good player."

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