Katerina Siniakova: Embracing Change and New Tennis Adventures in 2024

“It will definitely be a big challenge. A change after a long time. It will be different because I have been used to a different partner for a long time,” recounted Siniaková, who announced after the final of the Billie Jean King Cup that she was severing her collaboration with Barbora Krejčíková, with whom she won seven Grand Slam doubles tournaments. “I thought about it a lot. I think the decision is right. Time will tell how that year unfolds.”

At the end of the season, Siniaková also shone at two WTA tournaments in Asia, where she added the Nanchang title to her participation in the final in Hong Kong and finished 2023 in 45th place in the singles rankings. She is now tenth in doubles, but her ambitions alongside the current world number one are incomparably higher.

“The initiative came from me. We played a few tournaments together, we get along, it’s fun with her on the court,” explained Siniaková. “It’s also great that he plays on the other side than me. That was an important choice when I was looking for a teammate. She is left-handed, which can be a slight advantage at the net, but the most important thing will be for us to play a few matches and then see how it develops.”

With Hunter playing in the United Cup at the turn of the year, we won’t see the newly formed pair until Melbourne. “The Australians are very supportive and a great audience. They always chased home players and players. I’m looking forward to it,” said Siniaková.

But next year is also the Olympic year, so there could be a reincarnation of the golden Czech doubles from Tokyo 2021 on the courts in Paris. “We’ll see. But both Bára and I are certainly open to that option. We talked about the fact that if we qualify for the Olympics, I think we have a great chance. It would be a shame to throw it away. Ending the cooperation was not a bad thing. We agreed that we can get back together at any time, so the Olympics figure in there.”

Tennis player Tomáš Macháč’s girlfriend will now spend Christmas with her family in Hradec Králové, and for the next months she mainly wishes to stay healthy. “Because my last two seasons were with slight complications, that’s the most important thing. Then he works hard, trains, and the results will surely come. I would certainly be very happy if a Grand Slam was successful, but that is all connected with work and training,” said Siniaková.