Back with a bang! Krejčíková and Siniaková win ahead of Olympics

Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Šafářová to the Livesport Prague Open 2024 doubles title. After a short ceremony and some questions from media, the pair were quickly ushered off ahead of their travels to Paris in time for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The final between K+S and team “Bucie” was the culmination of a great doubles tournament in the eyes of not only tournament director Miroslav Malý but of all tennis fans watching. In the match, watched by over 2,000 in the Sparta Prague tennis complex, Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková lived up to their role as favourites going into the duel while Lucie Šafářová and Bethanie Mattek-Sands had to make do with silver.

“We played some good matches,” summarised Siniaková after the final, “we got better and better each game. I’m really happy we won.” This was the pair’s first time playing together since the end of last season. How did that go? “Well, it was great playing together again and combining our styles,” thought Siniaková. 

The celebrations couldn’t last long as the pair had to make a quick transition to Paris where they will seek to defend their gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics. When will they be flying? “I’m not sure,” responded Siniaková, “but everyone’s in our hair so it has to be very soon…”

And what did this year’s Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Champion think of their upcoming travels? Could it affect their performances at the Olympics? “We just have to get there as soon as possible,” started Barbora Krejčíková, “start regenerating and give it our very best in our first game tomorrow. We’ll probably have a little warm up ahead of the game and go for it.”

The schedule is packed. The pair will face Latisha and Hao-Ching Chan already at 15:00 tomorrow, but both agree that the Olympics are such an important part of sport that it’s all worth it: “Representing Czechia is special. The support you get from all other athletes is just incredible, the entire atmosphere around the games is different. You are all there together and working for the same goals. I’m really looking forward to it all,” commented Siniaková.

Will they defend their Tokyo Olympics gold? “We’ll do our best,” responded Krejčíková, “we’ll fight for every ball but it’s a long route to make it, we really want to win.”

Livesport Prague Open 2024 (women, CZE, 267 082 USD, clay)
Doubles final
KREJČÍKOVÁ, SINIAKOVÁ – Mattek-Sands (USA), Šafářová 6:3, 6:3

Photo: Livesport Prague Open / Pavel Lebeda (sport-pics.cz)

Author: eSports

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