Martincová suffered without medication. I risked it because they put me to sleep, admitted the tennis player

“I don’t know what it is. Even though I’m from Prague, I play a lot better in Ostrava. I did reach the finals at the tournament in Prague (2021), but I have to say frankly that the opponents on the way weren’t the strongest. “If I compare it with what I play here, it’s a terrible difference. I feel relaxed and better inside here,” said Martincová at the press conference.

The 78th ranked player in the world, who starts in Ostrava thanks to a wild card, lost to the 42 places better ranked Teichmann in the first set 1:5. But then she won five games in a row and won 7:1 in the opening abbreviated game. “The beginning was probably rushed on my part, and Jil played incredibly at the same time. She didn’t let me do anything,” said Martincová.

Under unfavorable conditions, however, Martincová shook off the pressure. “I told myself on the bench that even though I’m down a lot, I’m going to try to play ball by ball and collect the gams. That I’m not going to be so focused on shooting it out of the court. If I say it stupidly, I stopped concentrating that I want it so a lot to beat. Instead, I told myself that I would try to beat it as much as possible,” said Martincová.

The support of the fans in the Ostravar arena also started it to turn around. “I was happy that there was someone left after Péta (Kvitová’s previous match). I value those people who stood by me. I felt their support and they were with me in important moments. It wasn’t like ‘finish it already’, but really they gave me strength,” said the native of Prague.

In the tie-break of the second set, Martincová limped on the court. The 27-year-old tennis player has problems with the so-called jumper’s knee. It is pain in the attachment of the quadriceps femoris muscle in the area below the knee. “I’m not saying that I wouldn’t be able to in a possible third set. Even if sometimes I look like I’m powerless, I sit down, get up and go again. But it’s something I can’t solve right away,” said Martincová.

The pain was worse than usual, because she did not take analgesics before the match. “It seemed to me that it makes me sleepy enough and I have worse reactions. I risked it and didn’t take anything,” said Martincová. “However, I have to say that I suffered and you can tell when I don’t have it in me. I play under pills for three quarters of the year. I told myself that I would change it, because I thought I was a little sleepy. Although I still lost 1: 5, but in the end I won, so maybe it had plus points,” said the Czech tennis player with a smile.

She hasn’t lost a single one of the five tie-breaks in Ostrava. “It’s good here, but unfortunately I know how I am in the season as a whole. I played a lot of tie-breaks. Unfortunately, I got to a place where I play quite early with the very best, and the opponents are more experienced in these moments and will allow. But here (in Ostrava) it’s some kind of magic. I have to knock so that it doesn’t turn around,” said last year’s quarter-finalist.

In the next round, Martincová will challenge the reigning champion Kontaveitová. She lost all three matches with an Estonian a year younger, the last one a week ago in Tallinn 2:6, 1:6. “I didn’t do well last week. Anett played really well and she was at home. As we all know, she’s quite confident in the hall and you can tell she’s world number four. But I have nothing to lose against her. I’m going to go into it wanting get a better result than last week and we’ll see,” Martincová added.