08.06.2024 14:16:46 | A star-studded mixed doubles exhibition drew a large crowd to fill the stands of the central court before the final match of the UniCredit Czech Open. Elite athletes from three different sports came together on the court. Joining former top tennis players Lucie Safarova and Kristyna Pliskova were former hockey player Tomas Plekanec and Jan Koller, the Czech national football team's all-time leading scorer. The match ended with Pliskova and Koller winning 6-3, but the primary goal for all participants was to have fun.
"This morning we had our first 20-minute training session, and that was enough," Pliskova said with a laugh. Her partner moved energetically on the court, employing several passing shots, lob shots, and drop shots during the match, even managing to hit an ace.
"I just watched as the ball flew past me and waited for more aces, but thankfully they didn't come. I was struggling and was just glad whenever I managed to get the ball over the net," Plekanec said.
Koller truly excelled and made a significant contribution to his team's success. "I don't know where it came from. I don't play tennis very often; I usually prefer hockey, five-a-side football, and especially padel. Maybe that's why. Padel is a new sport that involves a lot of lobbing," said the former footballer, trying to understand his impressive performance.
Safarova wasn't taken aback by Koller's performance. "We had already played a padel match, so I knew he’d do pretty well," remarked Šafáøová, a former world number five in singles.
