The Czech has been in fine form this fall with back-to-back semifinal finishes in Tokyo and Shanghai, rallying from a set down to reach the last eight at the Erste Bank Open.

Now 23, the former No. 1 junior talks life on the ATP Challenger Tour, tennis landscape in his nation and appreciating the likes of Italians Musetti and Arnaldi.

Also, Daniil Medvedev hits 250 career weeks in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings, and Shang Juncheng makes history.