The longer Simek talks, the more his memory comes alive. The conversation can hardly be called an interview, because questions are unnecessary. Without an introduction, anecdotes and arguments follow in rapid succession.
“Okay, the first time Michiel Ivan Lendl met was at the Rotterdam tournament. As a journalist I made a story with Lendl. At the end of the week I took Michiel to train secretly. Lendl saw me and asked if I wanted to play him in I said, well, play with my student. “I’ll see,” said Lendl. He stretched, looked at Michael, then said in Czech. “I’d rather play with you.”
“A few years later, Michiel lost to Lendl in five sets at Wimbledon. He then looked me up.” I got it all wrong. Would you like to come to Cincinnati with Michiel for seventeen days? ” I said no, I’d rather go back to my house in Italy. Absurd right ?! Michael still blames me. “
Technology is everything at Simek
Of the current players, Federer Simek hits the most, because he technically controls all strokes. “At Wimbledon they slowed down the track and the balls. If they hadn’t, Federer would have won until the age of 50.”
“For me, Wimbledon is important because it is grass. The ball bounces there differently, it stimulates players to work on their game. An extra technical challenge. And I love technology. If you are technically perfect, you are only free. “
