The battle for the women’s title will have a half surprising composition. In the semifinals, the favored and first-seeded Natália Bubjuková was defeated in four sets by 16-year-old Karolína Šrámková from Moravská Slavia Brno. The winner stands out with good movement, an aggressive approach to the game and self-confidence.
Her opponent will be three-time mother Olga Kolářová, who lost only one set on the way to her sixth title, and that against Eva Feřteková. “I made that match a little more challenging because I got nervous in the third set when my opponent was attacking a few points and I wasn’t able to react to it. Then it turned into a shootout, which was also about chance,” Kolářová described.
Photo: Irena Vanišová
Novelty. Squash players can look forward to a new glass court worth millions at the national championship.Photo: Irena Vanišová
Panáček, who made it to his first final two years ago, when he was not good enough for Dan Mekbib, perceives a great chance for his first domestic title. This time he dealt with David Zeman in three sets in the semifinals. “We are training partners, we know each other very well. I managed to push him with my quality, I’m satisfied,” said Panáček, defending the colors of Prague’s Strahov. He will play against Jakub Solnické in the final.
“Just before the championship, I thought it would be nice to play the final against Mark. We both play a similar game, we are agile. It will be a nice match,” said Solnický, who defeated four-time champion Mekbib 3:1 in sets in the semifinals.
This year’s championship is being played on a completely new glass court for the first time. The modern model caught the attention of players and spectators with its dark surface, on which the white ball is easier to see. “I’ve been playing great on it since the first match. It’s a fast and bouncy court, it suits me,” commented Solnický. “I really like glass courts. This one is absolutely comparable to the world standard, its great floor doesn’t slip,” praised Kolářová.
