BARBORA STRYCOVA SPEAKS TO EUROSPORT DURING INSTAGRAM LIVE SESSION

On how she is dealing with being in lockdown
We have been on lockdown for five or six weeks – at the beginning it was strange. It was like, “ok, I’m going to be home” but then after a couple of days you had to make a plan how to spend your day otherwise you would go crazy and I am the kind of person who would go crazy. I always need to be doing something.

I’m not sure it is a talent, but I love to bake. I am creating my own recipes, and sometimes putting too much in the way of ingredients and then I’m shocked that things aren’t coming out as I want! My boyfriend doesn’t like what I cook so I end up giving it to the neighbours and telling them it is special! My signature dish is a carrot cake, a healthy vegan one. My boyfriend even likes it so it must be my speciality.

On how she is keeping fit
It helps to be active. It’s really tough to not do anything for five weeks. I am writing down everything I am doing in my diary, even if it’s not sport – just everything I am doing throughout each day. I don’t think I’ve had a day off for 33 days, it doesn’t sound good, but I need to feel the sweat and the tiredness. I feel that at least I can do something to stay in shape. I am always trying to find different exercises, different movements, different muscles. I try and work out for 45 minutes a day, not too much.

On whether tennis will return in 2020
I have obviously been speaking with Su-Wei in Taipei, she seems to be travelling a lot in Taipei which it seems they are allowed to do while we are not. I am also chatting with Petra a lot because it’s difficult as we don’t know when we’ll start. We are always asked do we think they’ll play US Open, do we think we’ll play Roland-Garros? We do not know for sure at all.

Two weeks ago, we were told we were able to play, but with only two people. Not more than three people in the same club, so we are allowed to play. I am playing twice a week just so I can hold a racquet and feel it for my shoulder and wrist. To be honest, when you don’t have a goal, it’s tough. I don’t think we’ll play this year. But we just have to stay positive.

On how she learned the season was put on hold
We have only lost one doubles match this year, and that was at the Australian Open, and I was also feeling pretty good on the singles court. And then it stopped. I was at Indian Wells, mentally well prepared, and then suddenly it’s not there. You don’t feel great as you think that you’ve worked hard for this. They announced the cancellation of the tournament before the qualies, I flew to my sisters in Florida the next day and then I was there for three days. We were then told to go home as soon as possible because they might close the borders. My mum was stuck there and had to wait quite a few weeks before she could return home. She only got back recently and had to stay in quarantine.

On the discussed merging of the ATP/WTA Tours
I think it’s a very good idea. If we can do it, not just to talk about it, it’s a great thing. We can then work together. I don’t think it will ever come up from the women, but we can follow then men and it’s a good thing. I think it would be pretty cool, but let’s see how ever something is and even if we start to play some tournaments.

On her future
When the lockdown first started I was so positive that I was going to play and I was so motivated. But as time goes by, it’s changing. I’m not saying I want to stop but to be honest I don’t want to finish like this either. I want to perform, even if I have one last tournament, and stay on the court because it’s such a big part of my life.

I don’t want to only play doubles, I feel good on a singles court as well. I want to play both. I don’t just want to play on grass which is my favourite surface, but every surface, everywhere!

I think it’s tough when you are older as you do not know how your body will handle it when you return to the court after such a long time. You can practice all you want, but when you get on the court in a match situation – the adrenaline, the nerves, it’s so different. Even I am pretty nervous how my body will handle it when I do come back.

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