US Open: The inexhaustible Czech reservoir continues to deliver
With Linda Fruhvirtova, Linda Noskova and Sara Bejlek, three Czech teenagers have reached the main draw of the 2022 US Open.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Aug 28, 2022, 09:54 am
Anyone who primarily focused on the final qualifying match between Maximilian Marterer and the Italian Riccardo Bonadio on Friday could tell by turning briefly towards 10th place during the breaks between changes: Good old moon ball - he's alive! And why not when it comes to qualifying for the main draw of a major for the first time.
And so, in her game against France's Chloe Paquet, Linda Fruhvirtova occasionally prescribed a very high trajectory for the ball, with success in the end. Fruhvirtova won 6:4, 3:6 and 6:3. The Grand Slam premiere for adults will take place against Xinyu Wang, not a hopeless endeavor.
The most talented young Czech - at least the one who has made it furthest in the WTA charts - may be Linda Noskova, who also had to qualify for a place in the 128 grid. Noskova, like Fruhvirtova only 17 years old, ended Eugenie Bouchard's comeback attempt in round two. In round one of the US Open, a purely Czech duel with Marie Bouzkova is now waiting.
Three Czech women in the semifinals of Roland Garros
That leaves Sara Bejlek, at 16 the youngest in the trio of qualifiers. Bejlek already looked like a sure loser against Heather Watson, trailing 3-5 in the third set. And won the last four games and thus the match. The grapes are hanging high against the Russian Lujdmilla Samsonova in round one, but maybe Sara Bejlek's youthful exuberance will continue to drive her on.
Incidentally, Bejlek was one of three Czech juniors who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in spring 2022. In addition to the later winner Lucie Havlickova and Nikola Bartunkova. The reservoir of young players from the Czech Republic - it continues to deliver.
Here is the women's individual tableau at the US Open
nycmap