05.06.2014 15:56:37 | There was a change in the post of the UniCredit Czech Open tournament supervisor. German Roland Herfel replaced French Stephane Cretois after his many years in Prostejov. When was he in Prostejov for the last time? In 1994, he was an umpire at the first edition of the tournament which was the only one which was played inside.
Last time you were here was twenty years ago. What has changed since then? “I’m surprised it’s been twenty years I would have never said it was so long ago. It was the first edition of the tournament and it was still played inside. It was funny because we had a caravan here. I had a great time but I have rather limited memories about it. Of course, there has been a great leap forward in every respect.“
How is the cooperation with the tournament director Petra Cernoskova? “It is always a pleasure if you have a knowledgeable tournament director around. Petra Cernoskova as a former player is a great example of one. She’s been very good in understanding the scheduling which is always a problem. I don’t have to make any changes, we do it together and I think we have excellent cooperation.“
What do you think about the quality of players at the tournament? “It is the greatest Czech tournament and the best Czech players, except for Berdych, are playing here. It is rather unusual that such high-ranking players come and play at a challenger. They would sure have other opportunities how to prepare for example for the Wimbledon. I really appreciate they support the Czech tennis. You can tell they have also attracted great many spectators.“
What do think about the success of the local players who have advanced to the final rounds of the tournament? “It is a common knowledge that there is a long tradition in producing top players in Prostejov. One could expect that the juniors will also be good. But somebody like Pavlasek who plays at such level at his age is something unbelievable. I’m really impressed! “
