02.06.2014 13:14:12 | Petra Cernoskova has been the director of the most prestigious Czech tennis tournament for the sixteenth time. She is sorry that Tommy Robredo of Spain, the nineteenth ATP player, did not finally come to the Hana Region. He lost to Isner at Roland Garros in a very tight match of 6:7, 7:6, 6:7, 5:7. “He was very disappointed after the match. Jaroslav Levinsky who was in charge of the participating players received behind-the-scenes information in advance which proved to be true later: Robredo was injured. Similarly, Gabashvili was also interested in playing in Prostejov but his calf muscle did not allow him to play in the tournament.“
How happy is the tournament director about the players participating in UniCredit Czech Open? “I really like it very much. There are seven Czechs in the draw. And another two, Knoflicek a Konecny, advanced from the qualification. By the way, both of them are members of our Prostejov Club. It makes it nine Czechs! Our intention has always been to make it primarily Czech tennis. Besides Berdych, who is a top ten player and cannot play in such tournaments, all other players are here. Except for Jan Hajek who had to withdraw from the tournament at the last moment. He, too, has problems with the tight muscle.“
What do you think about the first round match of Stepanek vs. Arguello? “Radek played a five-set match with the Argentine in Paris in the first round. He turned the match in his favour from 0:2 and, after three and a half hours, finally won in five sets. When I told him who he was going to play in the first round, the same opponent as in Paris, he laughed and said: it means I will have play right from the beginning and not to let him score like at Roland Garros. In Prostejov, we only play two sets and I will have to start right away… He said he basically didn’t mind playing him again. He knows what to play against the Argentine. He was rather surprised by the Argentine’s game. He didn’t know him, met him for the first time, and was absolutely unprepared for him.“
Who would you like to see in the finals? “A Czech player, of course. But the competition is very tough and they may not make it. One thing is for sure, we will enjoy a quality tennis with such great players. Last year, we said the clash of Stepanek vs Vesely was a finals of dreams. Even the tennis God will not make it possible this year because the Czechs will, if they advance, meet in the semifinals...“
