MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — For the second year in a row, a player from the Czech Republic has made the finals of the Miami Open.
Jiri Lehecka, seeded 21st, advanced to the biggest ATP final of his rising career when he routed 28th seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-2 on Friday in the early semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium.
Lehecka’s countryman, Jakub Mensik, won the Miami Open last year. The Czech duo enjoyed rousing success in South Florida six months ago as part of Czech Republic’s second-round victory over the U.S. in Davis Cup.
Lehecka will face the winner of Friday night’s marquee semifinal between No. 2 Jannik Sinner and fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev.
“I will be watching tonight’s match,’’ Lehecka said in the on-court interview. “Two great, experienced guys.’’
Lehecka will make his first finals appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 event. The men’s draw got lighter after Carlos Alcaraz was upset in the third round by Sebastian Korda and Novak Djokovic skipped the event due to a right shoulder ailment.
Lehecka said his goal for 2026 was to be more consistent in his practices, which he feels prevented him from making a Masters 1000 final previously.
“Today was a great match,’’ Lehecka said. “Definitely brought me a lot of confidence going into the final. To return well was one of my goals today. I didn’t want him to have time for his forehand. His forehand is amazing.”
Lehecka, 24, broke Fils in the opening game and the outcome never seemed in doubt. On match point, Lehecka served an ace wide to the ad court and raised his arms triumphantly. Lehecka finished with six aces, no doubles faults and didn’t face a break point.
In the opening game, Lehecka cashed in on break point as Fils’ running forehand hit the base of the net.
Lehecka broke Fils twice in the first set and won 82% of his points on first serve. Lehecka hasn’t been broken yet in the tournament.
Fils, the 21-year-old Frenchman, had saved four match points in his quarterfinal victory over American Tommy Paul but seemed to have little gas left. Fils, 21, had won their last meeting in the quarters of the Qatar Open in Doha with a 6-3, 6-3 victory on Feb. 19.
“Disappointed in the loss today, could’ve done better,″ Fils said. “It was completely different in Doha. I came in with a fresh mind, fresh everything. It was tough for me to find a rhythm."
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, right, hugs Arthur Fils of France, after winning in their semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic shouts as he celebrates after winning a semifinal match against Arthur Fils of France, at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
JUPITER ISLAND, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Land Rover traveling at “high speed” on a residential road clipped a truck and rolled onto its side.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods was able to crawl out of passenger side and was not injured.
“He did exemplify signs of an impairment,” Budensiek said, adding that investigators believe he had taken "some type of medication or drug." He said Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but refused a urine test and was arrested.
Under Florida law, he would have to spend eight hours in jail before he could post bail.
Budensiek said the sheriff’s office will follow the law regardless of who has been accused of a crime. He said Woods was being held in jail but separate from others.
“He’s not going to be with other inmates that could hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did,” he said. “He’ll pay the price, but he’s not going to pay the price by getting punished in jail.”
It was the second time Woods has been arrested for a DUI not as a result of the influence of alcohol. He said he took a bad mix of painkillers when authorities found him in 2017 asleep behind the wheel of his car, the engine still running and its driver's side damaged. Woods pleaded guilty then to reckless driving.
President Donald Trump, whose former daughter-in-law is dating Tiger Woods, was asked about the golfer when he landed in Miami on Friday afternoon for an investment summit.
“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person. Amazing man. But, some difficulty.”
The crash occurred just before 2 p.m. not far from where Woods lives on Jupiter Island.
Budensiek said Woods attempted to pass a pressure cleaner truck while driving on a two-lane road with a 30 mph (48 kph) speed limit. He said authorities could not determine how fast Woods was going.
The Land Rover swerved to avoid a collision as he was passing the truck but clipped the back end of the truck’s trailer, Budensiek said. Woods’ car then rolled onto its driver’s side.
The sheriff said Woods was “cooperative, but he's not trying to incriminate himself.” He said Woods has the right to refuse the urine test and that authorities “will never get definitive results with what he was impaired on.”
Woods’ manager at Excel Sports did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.
This was the fourth time Woods has been involved in a car crash, most recently in February 2021 when his SUV ran off a coastal road in Los Angeles at a high rate of speed, leading to multiple leg and ankle injuries. Woods said later doctors considered amputation. He also previously sustained multiple injuries to his left knee and his back during his golf career.
Woods returned from multiple back surgeries to win the 2018 Masters for his 15th major. His 82 titles on the PGA Tour is tied for the career record with Sam Snead. Since that LA crash, he has played 11 tournaments without being closer than 16 shots to the winner the four times he was able to finish 72 holes.
Friday's arrest comes as Woods was trying to decide if he was fit enough to play the Masters, which starts April 9. He also was to be in Augusta, Georgia, on April 5 to unveil a golf course project with Masters chairman Fred Ridley.
Woods also was days away from what was described as a “soft deadline” to decide whether to be the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland.
Woods, 50, had been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery in September.
His last official tournament was the British Open in 2024. Woods ruptured his Achilles tendon in March 2025 and that kept him off the course all season even before the back surgery. He managed to play in his indoor TGL golf league on Tuesday night.
He has remained deeply involved in PGA Tour affairs as chair of the Future Competition Committee that is restructuring the model of the tour.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office shows skid marks near the overturned vehicle in a rollover crash which involved Tiger Woods in Jupiter Island, Fla., on Friday, March 27, 2026. (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP)
This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office shows skid marks near the overturned vehicle in a rollover crash which involved Tiger Woods in Jupiter Island, Fla., on Friday, March 27, 2026. (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Tiger Woods of the Jupiter Links Golf Club plays his shot from the second tee the TGL finals golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., on Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jason Oteri)
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jason Oteri)
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., on Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jason Oteri)
Tiger Woods of the Jupiter Links Golf Club plays a shot from a bunker on the eighth hole, during final day of TGL golf tournament, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens Fla. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
