Ahead of today’s final with Italy, tennis expert Jan Kukal is confident Slovakia can win the Billie Jean King Cup.
“I said even after the victory over the USA,” said Czech expert and former coach Ivan Lendl, who lives in Slovakia.
Kukal watched all of Slovakia’s games in the Billie Jean King Cup, but he also watched the games of the Czech Republic and other countries. He gave the Slovakians a good chance, because he believed that our country is the strongest in women’s tennis.
It’s not really like that, because at the Olympics or the US Open we only had one player in the main tournament, Anna Karolína Schmiedlová, and she didn’t even play in the final tournament in Malaga yet and maybe not.
“This success was made possible by a combination of extremely favorable conditions and the fact that the Slovak women were well prepared,” said Kukal. “And the key was that you have Rebecca Šramková, the best player in the tournament.
Šramková makes the same mistake as Hrbatý
We wanted to know what he meant by favorable conditions, but before that it was necessary to explain why he named Šramková as the best in the tournament. We will argue that I guess he meant second best after world number two Iga Świątek.
“No, in terms of performance, now is the best. Of all the players who play in Malaga,” said Kukal. “Šramková is a joy to watch, and Świąteková is a joy to watch
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2024-11-20 05:42:00
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World-today-news.com is delighted to bring you an exclusive interview with tennis experts Jan Kukal and Ivan Lendl on the eve of Slovakia’s final match against Italy in the Billie Jean King Cup. The duo shares their perspectives on Slovakia’s chances of winning the prestigious tournament and the factors that have contributed to their success.
Q: Jan, you have been closely following Slovakia’s progress throughout the Billie Jean King Cup. Can you elaborate on the “extremely favorable conditions” that you believe have contributed to their success?
A: Well, there are several factors that have worked in Slovakia’s favor. Firstly, they managed to secure a highly talented and experienced player like Rebecca Šramková, who is currently ranked number one in the world in doubles and sixteenth in singles. She has been a key contributor to their success as she has had a fantastic year so far. Additionally, they entered the tournament after the Olympic Games and the US Open when many top players were tired and unavailable. This allowed the Slovakian team to gain valuable match practice, which has paid off in this tournament.
Q: Ivan, as a Czech living in Slovakia, what do you think about Jan’s assertion that Slovakia has the strongest women’s tennis team?
A: It’s a bold statement, but I can see why Jan believes that. The Slovakian team has performed extremely well in this tournament, and they have a deep bench of talented players. However, it’s important to remember that they still have room for improvement. The Czech Republic has a rich tennis history and tradition, and it’s not something that can be easily dismissed. We will need to wait and see how Slovakia performs in the future to make a definitive judgment about their status as the strongest in women’s tennis.
Q: Both of you agree that Rebecca Šramková has been crucial to Slovakia’s success. Jan, you praised her as the best player in the tournament. However, Iga Świątek, the world number two, is also in the running. Can you clarify your stance on who deserves the title of the best player in the tournament?
A: Iga Świątek is an outstanding player,
