“It’s definitely the last national tournament,” assured the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, London Olympics silver medalist and five-time Fed Cup winner. Even as her voice broke and tears streamed from her eyes when he delivered the final verdict.
Already in the summer, during the Sparta tournament, Andrea Sestini Hlaváčková held a farewell party, which was also attended by some of her friends from Hradecka. In the last duel in Ostrava, in which McNally and Parks were not enough for the American couple with Nosková, but neither was her coach.
“He had to make a detour to Prague,” said Hradecká.
She met up with Nosková, twenty years younger, temporarily before the US Open when her teammate was injured.
“Somehow Linda came up with the idea, so we thought, why not give it a try? The coaches know each other well and Linda agrees,” explained Hradecká.
During the night session on the packed pitch of Arthur Ashe, together with Nosková, they upset the euphoric mood of the American public, who were eagerly awaiting the triumph of the Williams.
“It was a difficult game in front of a full stadium. But Linda did surprisingly well. She was good on the pitch,” Hradecká will recall one of the greatest experiences of his career.
However, she herself is not planning any goodbyes. “I’ve never been the type to do spectacular things,” she assured her.
After eighteen years in the WTA circuit, it was made. She was fourth in the world in doubles, 41st in singles and was also successful in team competition.
“The girls of the new generation will have to work hard to get to our bar. But there are a lot of them and they are eager and full of energy to move. We have a lot of good girls. It’s a shame that boys aren’t like that,” concluded Hradecká .
