Czech young guns out to make splash at French Open
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Czech young guns out to make splash at French Open
Prague (AFP) – Four Czech teenagers are setting out to make a mark at the French Open, inspired by the successes of their older compatriots.
World number 50 Linda Noskova and 59th-ranked Linda Fruhvirtova, who are both 18, Fruhvirtova's 16-year-old sister Brenda and 17-year-old Sara Bejlek are all in the women's main draw.
A nation of 10.5 million people, the Czech Republic will have 12 women in the singles draw at Roland Garros, second only to the United States with 19.
Ten of them are in the WTA top 100, including 33-year-old two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who is the number 10.
"It's a long-term thing, our girls are simply good," chuckles Vladislav Savrda, a former player and coach and now general manager of Prague's I.CLTK tennis club.
"We'll have a generational mix (at Roland Garros) which is very important and it definitely helps," he told AFP.
The young guns can look up to their compatriots including Kvitova, 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, ranked 13th in the world, and former world number one Karolina Pliskova, currently 16th.
"Petra and Karolina are over 30, and the young ones who are under 20 are a guarantee that our women's tennis will continue to be a success," Savrda said.
"They definitely have role models to follow," he added.
'Always special'
Brenda Fruhvirtova will have a tough task at her second Grand Slam tournament ever, facing world number four Elena Rybakina, the reigning Wimbledon champion and Australian Open finalist.
But she relished being in the main draw following a fairly smooth qualification at the Roland Garros.
"It feels great to qualify a second time in a row," Fruhvirtova told the Tenisovy svet tennis magazine.
She crashed out of this year's Australian Open in the first round and then watched her older sister Linda reach the last-16.
Linda in turn supported her during the French Open qualifiers.
"It's nice. In fact, I'm not used to it as she's not there at most tournaments," said Brenda.
"It's always special for us. It means a lot to be here with her."
Bejlek, who won the junior doubles title and lost in the singles semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, is hungry for more success on the Paris clay.
"I've got great memories from last year," she told Tenisovy svet after qualifying for the tournament and before facing 82nd-ranked Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round.
Noskova, who won the junior singles at the 2021 French Open, will take on 68th-ranked Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, while Linda Fruhvirtova will face experienced Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, coming back from an injury, in the first round.
Savrda said he also expects great things from other young Czech players, including 18-year-old Lucie Havlickova, who won the junior singles and doubles -- with Bejlek -- in Paris last year.
"There are many girls in this strong generation and I think someone will really make a splash at some point," he told AFP.
