Life seems to be flying too fast, the career of Karina Cíleková-Habšudová ended a long time ago, and the Slovak tennis legend celebrates her 50th birthday today. “It will be a day without a big plan. Today, everything revolves around my children,” says the friendly native of Bojnice.
Admit it, when was the last time you hit a tennis ball?
About a week ago, when my oldest daughter Laura asked me to travel with her to a tournament in Stuttgart. When he has no one to play with, I’m a stand-in.
Can tennis still evoke emotions in you?
If I clench my fists after a good hit or get angry when something doesn’t work out, I really don’t anymore. (laughs) But when you have a child playing on the court, it’s – of course – different. Or if I’m watching a good game on TV, I can get excited too.
The last time was in the men’s Wimbledon final, when Alcaraz defeated Djokovic. It had the charge of generations. I was also pleased with the result (Alcaraz won 3:2 in sets, editor’s note). Not that I have anything against Novak, but I will welcome when a new generation of players gets to speak.
A few years into your career, you said that you don’t miss anything from the tennis carousel. Hasn’t something changed over time?
It continues to apply. To the last point.
Was it hard work?
The travel was literally exhausting. Worst of all. Tennis as such was a lot of hard work, but I enjoyed it a lot. And it’s still like that today. I don’t have to watch, analyze, run around the yard much anymore. I have played my part, I prefer to ski or do other sports.
Photo: SITA, Peter Hudec
Karin Habšudová Karin Habšudová.
But you don’t regret it, do you?
Nothing at all. It was an amazing time. Tennis is a kind of chess in a way, it is not a one-sided sport. There is no subjective evaluation after the match, the result is in your hands. Of course, we have a “hawk eye” today, there used to be trades that left me feeling wronged, but in the long run it didn’t dramatically change anyone’s career.
Is it true that you wanted to be a dentist as a child?
Yes. I was always incredibly fascinated by medicine, moreover, I was also skilled, it fit together for me. However, I had to choose.
So you have no respect from the dentist’s chair…
Not. I have such a wonderful doctor who has not yet built up my respect. (smile)
If little Karina had to decide, with today’s knowledge, between tennis or becoming a dentist, what would she choose?
He would definitely win tennis. Because I don’t regret a minute of what I went through. The only thing I think about in retrospect is that someone could have helped me when I was 10 in the world. Martina Hingisová’s mother once asked me in amazement:
“Karin, aren’t you in your tenth grade yet? You clearly belong there. I got there right away, but I didn’t have anyone around me who would push me and convince me to believe that I can go even higher.
Why was no one found?
I was the first Slovak woman to reach the top ten. Everyone around me – including me after all – felt that it was a wonderful achievement. No one seemed to expect that. At that time, we perceived it as being from small Slovakia, and when we won the Hopman Cup, we said to ourselves – wow. Today I can analyze tennis and I see that with my understanding of the game I could have been even higher than tenth.
Photo: AVON
Karin Habšudová Former tennis player Karin Habšudová.
How did you actually get into tennis?
I have been involved in modern gymnastics for five years, when I was ten years old I was on vacation with my grandparents in Prievidza. Mom used to play in the 2nd league, which was a recreational competition at the time. However, she had many friends in the club. One day Miloš Mečíř’s brother, Láďa, was there. He had no one to play with, so he took me to the court.
When they saw me, they told my mother that “your little one is doing very well”. They encouraged her to put me in the club. When we returned to Bratislava, no one wanted me, they thought I was smart on the one hand, but at the same time too old to start.
I’m supposed to be five years behind. I didn’t know how to serve, or other strokes from the tennis alphabet. Only Miro Beleš from Matadorka took me on. He saw potential in me.
And you’ve been improving exponentially…
Literally by leaps and bounds. Four years later I was the junior champion of Slovakia, then the world champion, the winner of the junior edition of the US Open. It just worked. At seventeen, I was the first junior in the world in singles and doubles. As an eighteen-year-old already in the top fifty of the WTA.
They were great results. Did you also have big dreams?
I always kept my feet firmly on the ground. I have never traveled to a tournament expecting to play in the final. Round by round. When I was eleven in the world, I wanted to be tenth and not the first. I set realistic goals and progressed from challenge to challenge.
Do you often think about your career?
Adequately. There are experiences that time will not erase and it is pleasant to remember them. Sometimes there are situations when I catch a glimpse of my memory, but I definitely don’t live by it today.
What do you value most?
The fact that I was the first junior in the world and also confirmed my talent among women, as I fought my way into the top ten.
Photo: TASR, Jakub Kotian
16. Karin Habšudová Karina Cíleková-Habšudová.
And triumphs over Hingis, Martínez and Sánchez?
This was related to progress in the rankings. If I wanted to move, I had to overcome them. Of course, they were great victories, I appreciated them.
Today, the big stars – with the exception of Swiateková – seem to be missing from tennis…
It’s a different generation. During my era, female players were much more versatile. Surprises such as we are witnessing today were not on the agenda. Back then, tennis fans could name at least ten female players, I don’t think they know it today. There is huge turnover in the elite ten.
Does this mean that Grand Slam titles are also easier to win?
I wouldn’t say that. It’s more about current form and comfort. What happened to Emma Raducanu at the US Open a few years ago is – it seems – a coincidence. She achieved an abnormally good result, the young players saw that everything is possible, but this would never have happened in my time.
Today, the question of the best male player in history is debated. Which woman was the most stellar for you?
This puzzle cannot be solved. I looked up to Martina Navrátilová or Chris Evertová. However, each legend brought something extra to tennis. I could find something for everyone. Of course, Serena Williams stands out in terms of results, but every generation has its star. Steffi Grafová has 22 Grand Slam trophies, but would she have them if it weren’t for the attack on Monika Selešová? They were all interesting.
And if you had to choose one?
It can not be. After all, I haven’t even seen Margaret Court play. There was only a poster of Ingemar Stenmark hanging on the wall in my room. (laughs) I come from a skiing family, as children we mainly watched skiing on ORF.
Have you never considered staying abroad after your career?
No, I left mine. I lived elsewhere for a while, but I didn’t have the feeling that I wanted to stay there.
Photo: Profimedia
10. Karina Habšudová The Slovak tennis player was world number 10 in the 1996 season. It was also the season in which she reached her Grand Slam maximum – at Roland Garros she reached the 1/4-finals. In her career, she did not get higher in the ranking. During it, however, she earned 1.8 million US dollars.
Life in the western big cities did not charm you?
You can always travel there for a while, but definitely not permanently in my case.
So Slovakia is a good place for a peaceful life after a career…
Definitely for me. Even though my birth certificate says Bojnice, I grew up and I like it in Bratislava.
The country is approaching parliamentary elections – if you could pinpoint one or two things that annoy you and you expect to change quickly, what would they be?
You know what, this is not a topic I want to discuss. I am a former sportswoman, in my opinion, politics and sports do not belong together.
We allude to the fact that we now had several tennis players in the parliament. Have you never been tempted?
But yes, they tried, but I never got around to it. I refused the offer in this field.
You have accomplished an incredible amount in 50 years. What are your plans now?
Family remains first. I have three children, the youngest son will be nine years old, this is how we took care of the children. My life revolves around them and the normal things that come with it.
What makes you most happy today?
Completely normal things that life brings. Often even banalities. It’s enough when we’re all together at home.
And what should your birthday look like?
No big plan. My days are somehow lined up so that each of the children has a program. I’ve never experienced my birthday dramatically, it’s just a number that lights up for me.
Read more You didn’t let me in, so I’ll show you. Djokovic now has great motivation, says the Czechoslovak legend, the 50 is still exceptional…
Above all, I am glad that my health allows me to do the things I enjoy.
A cake in the shape of a tennis racket could be?
She could, but that’s not the goal. At one time, in my thirties, I got a glass racket from Lednické Rovní, it was nice, but tennis was enough in our family. I kind of don’t care about these things anymore.
2023-08-02 10:00:00
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