Vaidišová and Berdych beaten by reigning champions Down Under
Itâs all bad news for the Czech Republic from the Australian Open, with none of the countryâs singles players still involved in the first Grand Slam of the year.
The last of the Czech women in action was 18-year-old Nicole VaidiÅ¡ová. Last season she reached the semi-finals in Melbourne, but this time out she didnât get past the fourth round, where she lost 3-6 4-6 to reigning champion Serena Williams. VaidiÅ¡ová has a poor record against Williams â indeed, Williams says sorry to ex-manager ...
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Sports News ... in four encounters the Czech has never taken a set from the experienced American. Speaking after Sundayâs match in Melbourne, she said it was the number of unforced errors she made that did for her this time:
âI messed up balls in play, I messed up my returns â they were the very moments when she played well. I messed up when I had a break ballâ¦Sheâs a difficult opponent for all players, she plays every ball and when it comes to the most difficult balls she plays better tennis.â
With Nicole VaidiÅ¡ováâs exit Czech hopes were resting on Tomáš Berdych. The draw wasnât kind to him though, with the man from ValaÅ¡ské MeziÅÃÄà facing the great Roger Federer in the fourth round. Berdych went down 4-6 6-7 3-6 to the world number one, though things could perhaps have gone a bit better if the 13th seed hadnât thrown away two set balls at the end of the second set. Were nerves to blame?
âI wouldnât say that. I was just trying to concentrate on the game and wasnât counting who had what points and if I could win, or not winâ¦There were a few chances and it could have ended a bit differently. It could have gone to a fourth set and the result would still have been the same. But I donât think it was all that bad.â
Baroš set for Portsmouth talks, while Juventus could sign young Czech midfielder Kalouda
Czech football international Milan BaroÅ¡ could soon be released from his misery at the French club Lyon. The forwardâs agent Pavel Paska says English Premier League side Portsmouth have expressed strong interest in BaroÅ¡, with talks set to take place later this week. Meanwhile, the rather less well known LuboÅ¡ Kalouda could be on his way to Juventus, no less. Juveâs negotiators are apparently visiting the offices of FC Brno this week with a view to signing the 20-year-old midfielder.
(radio-Prague)
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