How will Czech tennis players fare in 2022?

The new tennis season is in full swing. The first Grand Slam of the season is about to start, the Australian Open on 17 January. Will the Czechs build on their very successful season last year?

The year 2021 was a very strong one for Czech tennis. It was quite possibly the most successful season in our history. Krejčíková won Rolland Garros, she and Siniakova won the Olympic doubles and the Tournament of Champions. Vondrousova won silver in the singles at the Olympics. Pliskova played the Wimbledon final, Muchova the Australian Open semifinals.

Siniakova and Martins recorded an upswing in their games. Czech tennis confirmed that it belongs among the world’s greatest powers and definitely has something to build on. So let’s take a look at how our tennis players could fare in 2022.

Barbora Krejcikova

The clear comet of the season. It was a season of a lifetime for our number one tennis player. The native of Brno won many valuable titles. Her greatest achievement was the triumph at Rolland Garros, which was a very unexpected feat. In addition to singles, she also triumphed in doubles alongside Kateřina Siniaková.

In doubles, our tennis players were also successful at the Tokyo Olympics. They confirmed their role as favourites and won the whole tournament (a historic Olympic gold for Czech tennis). Thanks to her great performance in singles, Krejcikova entered the top ten of the world ranking and became the Czech tennis leader.

She ended her season in style. She and Siniakova won the Tournament of Champions in doubles, together with her partner she confirmed her position as the best doubles pair in the world. An amazing season. Now Bára will have a much tougher time, she will be under more scrutiny from the media and fans, expectations will not be low. If she can handle it mentally, another big success will come soon.

Karolina Pliskova

Last season was full of ups and downs for Pliskova. The first half of the year did not go well at all. She struggled, often dropping out in the first rounds, even out of the top 10. She did make the final in Rome, but got two canaries, which didn’t help her psyche.

Fortunately, she got a turn around in the form of a fabulous winning run at Wimbledon. The native of Louny won some tough matches in the opening rounds and managed to fight her way into the second week. There she built on her performance and got into the form of her life. The big semi-final turnaround against Sabalenka was an absolute highlight. The dream Grand Slam title was not to be, as she fell narrowly to Australia’s Barty in the final.

The Czech tennis player got a huge boost from this success and played much better in the rest of the season. She reached the final and semi-finals on American concrete. She just missed out on the knockout stage of the Champions Tournament. In the end, she could rate this season positively. She reached the Wimbledon final, returned to the top 10.

Most importantly, she confirmed that she’s still up there with the best. The goal for this season will be clear. To win a grand slam. This year will be one of the last times she can do it. After 30, it will be very difficult. Let’s hope she can maintain her performance from the end of the year and build on her form at the Grand Slams. Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open. He will have the best chance at these GS.

Karolina Muchova

It was a very unlucky year for Muchová. She started it absolutely amazing. She reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, she got the result of her life. Unfortunately, it was in the semi-finals that her poor health limited her. She’s been battling an abdominal muscle injury practically all season. This injury has put a big damper on her career. Despite her protracted health problems, she managed to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.

Muchova has tremendous potential. She can easily emulate the successes of Krejcikova and Pliskova, and she clearly proved it at the Australian Open. But she mustn’t be so discouraged by her body. We can only hope that she can solve her health problems and they won’t limit her so much. If she does, this could be a breakthrough season for her.

Petra Kvitova

Kvitova was a big disappointment last season. She did win a valuable title in Doha, but that was about it. She failed especially in the grand slams, which she absolutely failed. The year 2021 was really not ideal for her.

She is at an advanced tennis age, it is possible that her performances will not be as good as expected. It is also quite possible that she will return to her top this season and win a few major titles. This season will tell a lot. If it’s not ideal this year either, it will confirm that Petra’s best is behind her.

Markéta Vondroušová

The Czech hopeful faced a similar story to Pliskova last season. The first half of the year was a total disaster for her. But then came one successful tournament that turned everything around. For Pliskova it was Wimbledon, for Marketa it was the Olympics.

Vondroušová played her life’s tennis in Tokyo. She knocked out Osaka, Badosa and Svitolina and reached the final. She fell to Bencic in the battle for gold, but it was still a lifetime achievement for her.

These results gave her an extreme boost, she picked up her game and the results at the end of the season were much better. It would be great if she could build on that in the new season. She is still very young, her potential is huge. It will be important for her to stabilize her performance and not to have such a big drop-off. If she can do that, this season can be very successful for her.

Kateřina Siniaková

For the top Czech doubles player, 2021 was an absolutely fabulous year. She shone especially in doubles, but also did well in singles. Together with Krejcikova, she won Rolland Garros and dominated the Tournament of Champions. Krejcikova and Siniakova confirmed that they are unrivalled in doubles today.

But they weren’t bad in singles either. She returned to the top 50, reached the semifinals in Parma, and even played for the title in Bad Homburg. During the season she scored scalps of Serena and Muguruza. What to expect from her in the new season? She will dominate the doubles with Krejcikova again, some big title could be on the cards. She also has great potential in singles. Moving into the top 30 and winning the title is definitely not an unrealistic ambition.

Tereza Martincova

Last season was an absolute breakthrough for the likeable Czech. She was finally able to fulfil her potential. From the second hundred she managed to reach the top 50. 48th place is her current best. She reached the quarterfinals in Birmingham, Ostrava and Chicago. She even played for the title at her home event in Prague. It was a season of a lifetime for Martins.

It is important that she maintains this performance. She is still not at her ceiling, but there is still room for improvement. The goals for this season will be. To stay in the top 50, to try to win the title, to finally succeed in Grand Slam tournaments. If she can accomplish most of these goals, she will be able to evaluate 2022 very positively.

What about the men?

Czech men’s tennis has been in a very dark period in recent years. After Berdych’s departure, there was no one who could at least partially replace him (fighting for a tournament title or advancing to the GS Week 2). Unfortunately, Vesely was never able to fulfill his potential, he is long past his prime and a similar fate to Rosol awaits him.

Now, however, it looks like better times could be ahead. We have a new generation that is interesting to say the least. Among them are Lehecka and Svrcina. But the youngster Tomas Machac has the most potential. Currently the 143rd player in the world. He’s got what it takes to break into the top 100 soon. Last season he already showed his promising potential. He won the challenger in Kazakhstan, played the final in Liberec, scalped Gasquet, Van Zandschulp, and at the Olympics he beat Nishikori.

Machac is 21 years old, it’s hard to say how far he can go. But if he avoids injuries and doesn’t end up like Vesely or Rosol, it’s realistic for him to become a stable member of the top 50. We have some interesting young tennis players here. Hopefully, Czech men’s tennis will return to similar positions as it was during the Stepanek or Berdych era.

Source: Tenisportal