Doubles world No.1 Barbora Strycova is experiencing the height of her career at the age of 33, but at the same time the Czech continues to contemplate retirement as she’s spending quality time with her boyfriend this off-season.
It came as a surprise that Strycova announced a split with coach David Kotyza, who joined her team ahead of the 2018 season and led her to her career-best year, highlighted by her maiden singles Grand Slam semifinals at Wimbledon, four doubles titles, including Wimbledon, and a run to the title match of the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, all with doubles partner Hsieh Su-Wei. Strycova’s reason for the split is interesting:
David is one of the best coaches in the Czech Republic and because my tennis retirement is approaching, I found it a little selfish to keep him at all costs.
The WTA star from Plzn will compete in Australia for sure and she still doesn’t know when exactly she’ll leave the sport, but for quite some time she’s been telling the tennis community that her life on tour is in its final stage.
Meanwhile, Strycova is vacationing with her boyfriend and Elle Czech magazine editor Petr Matejcek. After her Wimbledon doubles triumph, the tennis champ graced the September 2019 cover of Elle in her home country, wearing a black Balmain one-piece swimsuit.
Given her boyfriend’s position in the magazine, Strycova joked:
He is the editor and I was on the cover, but of course, it was because I won Wimbledon.
Talking to the WTA during the US Open, Strycova told us a bit more about her relationship dynamics:
He goes with me to the shops, and we talk about fashion. He tells me his opinion and sometimes he knows much more about it, because he can tell me all the stories about Chanel, Dior, and other designers I don’t even know. Then, I can see a t-shirt and know the story behind it, and why it’s so expensive! I still don’t buy it!
As you probably remember, Strycova was married to former tennis player and her coach Jakub Zahlava. After nine years of marriage, they divorced in 2015. Let’s hope that relationship with Petr will last for a lifetime and that Strycova will happily spend her retirement with him.
Saw her playing IRL some time ago. She was bad tempered but well playing, interesting. Wishing her all the luck!