“It was an amazing sporting life when I played with the best in the world. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” assured Cetkovská in an interview with Sport.cz.
She has 23 starts in the main Grand Slam singles competitions and ten wins over players from the top 10. The last one in the cauldron of the New York center court during the night session against Caroline Wozniacka at the US Open 2015. What many female tennis players would give for such a career.
“When I finished and I was after knee surgery, Honza Stočes (the current head coach of the association) told me that it would be nice to use my experience and pass it on. But honestly: I wasn’t in favor at the time. I wasn’t ready for that yet. And I had no experience with preparing children either,” Cetkovská recounted.
But after the first groping, she quickly changed her mind. “It was important when the girls, who are 12, 14 years old, and I went to the training together, so that I could find out how things were going. It’s another thing to play only on yourself and then stand on the other side. I feel responsible for them. I have to take care of them and help them in tennis. But it is a beautiful job that fulfills me. The girls are very smart and healthy jerky. It’s fun that makes me go back to my younger years,” Cetkovská smiled.
Last year, the trio Laura Samsonová, Alena Kovačková, Eliška Forejtková led to the title of under-14 world champions. A month ago, the Czech Republic also won the final tournament of the European Indoor Championship – Winter Cup in the same category. But already in a change of composition: Veronika Sekerková, Sofie Hettlerová, Sára Oliveriusová.
“I have already worked with three years. And each of those girls is different, a complete original. Nor is it a rule that they come from a sports family. But all the girls are extremely passionate about tennis. Sometimes it’s funny how they solve it together,” says their captain.
At tournaments, Cetkovská sometimes meets her former rival Anna-Lena Grönefeldová, who accompanies the talented German girls. In the past, both also played in the Fed Cup. However, the Czech captain is not looking that high in her new role.
“I enjoy being able to be with the girls in the under-14 category. I don’t have any other goals at the moment. I believe that I have something to pass on to the young girls and I really enjoy it. And I also hope that they like me,” says Cetkovská.
