29.05.2009 11:04:35 | The Municipal House in Prague traditionally hosted the press conference prior to the tennis tournament UniCredit Czech Open. The participants included Mr. Jiri Kunert, chairman of the board of directors and executive manager of UniCredit Bank, Mr. Ivo Kaderka, president of the Czech Tennis Association, Mr. Miroslav Cernosek, managing director of the company TK PLUS, and Ms. Petra Pichalova Langrova, director of the tournament. "We have spent fifteen years with the tournament and we were always satisfied with the quality of the tennis event itself as well with other associated events," said the director of UniCredit Bank Mr. Kunert. Of course, the most debated issue at the conference concerned players who should be given freed cards.
Sixteen players out of the world top hundred will take part in the sixteenth year of the challenger. The defeat to the Italian Simon Bolelli in the first round at Roland Garros opened the door to Hana region for Tomas Berdych. The organizers have three free cards at their disposal. One of them could go to the Czech number one, Radek Stepanek. "It depends whether he will get over Czillicz in the third round at Rolland Garros. If not, he promised to play in Prostejov for sure. But of course, we wish him to get as far as possible at French Open," noted Mr. Cernosek. Other players who were called to Prostejov in case of their failure at Rolland Garros included, for example, the Russian Igor Anderiyev (he played the extra league for TK AGROFERT Prostejov last year), the Serbian Tipsarevitz, or the German Schuttler. The only Czech tennis player to be directly promoted to the main competition was Ivo Minar. The past champions who return back to Prostejov are the Argentinean defender of the title Augustin Calleri and his compatriot Sergio Roitman who won the tournament two years ago. "Last year I said it was more and more difficult to maintain the high quality of the tournament. But we managed even to improve it again. Sixteen players from the world top hundred signed in, and that is an increase," stated the director of the tournament Petra Pichalova.
The list of participant shall be closed by Saturday, May 30, 2009, 9.00 p.m. All players who would like to play in Prostejov should finish at Rolland Garros by then.
Czech Players to win singles at Czech Open in Prostejov include Bohdan Ulihrach (1997, 2001), Radek Stepanek (2003, 2004) and Jan Hajek (2006).
