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By Blair Henley / Monday, January 13, 2014
Lucie Safarova may avoid the spotlight, but that doesn’t
mean the current world No. 27 is any less deserving of our
attention. Get to know her as she kicks off her 2014
Australian Open campaign.
Photo Credit: Lucas Dawson / Getty Images
MELBOURNE, Australia – It may be her ninth season on the
WTA tour, but don’t call 26-year-old Lucie
Safarova a veteran. A recent news article on the Czech
star incorporated the term and, well, she wasn’t thrilled with
the distinction.
“I was like, ‘What!’ They called me a veteran!” she said,
laughing. “In my translation, it is someone with a cane who
cannot walk.”
While she may not take kindly to the word, she certainly fits
the bill. Safarova first picked up a racquet at three years old
in an effort to emulate her older sister, Veronika. Her father
Milan, a tennis coach, was more than happy to get her started,
and it wasn’t long before the blonde, blue-eyed powerhouse was
the best junior player in her native Czech Republic. As a teen,
she started playing ITF junior tournaments where she quickly
rose to top-10 status. Professional play was a foregone
conclusion.
Thanks to her position as the best female Czech player, the
tennis association there provided financial support. In
addition, she was hand picked by a high-powered Czech sports
agent who helped her gain international visibility.
“Without that [aid], unfortunately my family wouldn’t be able
to finance me, and I would have probably never made it. My
father was a coach, but everything is expensive.”
Now Safarova has no trouble paying her own way. She has a
sponsorship deal with Nike in addition to over $4 million in
career earnings. She’s ended her singles season inside the top
50 seven of the last eight years, securing a career-high singes
ranking of No. 17 in 2012. Currently ranked No. 27, Safarova
insists she’s not in the game for the fame or the money.
“I’m kind of shy, so I’m not like the person who wants the
spotlight,” she said, confirming the fact with her soft-spoken
tone. “I’m kind of going on my path silently. I’m not
extravagant in any way.”
Off-Court Publicity
In 2011, Safarova made headlines for something other than
tennis. She had a very public split from boyfriend and current
top-10 player Tomas Berdych after an
eight-year romance.
“It was a first love which is always strong,” Safarova said. “I
think we came to the point where it was just not going the
right way and both of our personalities became different. It
just happens. Our breakup was very normal. We didn’t have
fights or anything.”
While she admits the split was difficult, she acknowledges that
it changed her perspective on her life and her career for the
better.
“I discovered more of myself which was great,” she explained.
“Since I was 15, I was sharing everything with a person and
suddenly I was there alone. At the beginning it was
frightening, but it was good to also know what I like for
myself and what I like to do.”
Post-breakup, a renewed focus on her tennis led to the best
singles season of her career in 2012. Now Safarova, a
self-described “relationship person,” is dating American coach
Troy Hahn. They spent plenty of time together in the offseason,
even taking a couples’ vacation to Costa Rica with Safarova’s
childhood friend Andrea Hlavackova and her
boyfriend. According to Safarova, the foursome engaged in some
“very serious” games of beach volleyball while they were
there.
Though she enjoys being active in her free time, she doesn’t
rule out the occasional relaxing activity. Safarova giggled as
she recounted a recent scene at the theater after seeing the
movie Out of the Furnace with Hahn. The extreme
violence in the film left her feeling terribly depressed, so,
like any good boyfriend, Hahn immediately neutralized the
situation by taking her to see – what else? –
Frozen.
“That’s definitely one of my favorite [movies] right now,” she
said with a smile.
Doubles Success
Safarova’s recent doubles success is worth a look. She reached
a career-high ranking of No. 17 in 2013 after reaching the
quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the French Open with
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Not bad for her first full season of
doubles play on tour. Safarova kicked off 2014 with a doubles
title in Sydney, teaming up with Timea Babos for the first
time.
Though she admits the pressure on the pro tennis circuit can
suck the fun out of the game, doubles has helped her keep
things in perspective.
“Singles is the priority, but I really enjoy doubles,” she
said. “Especially with the team spirit because tennis is such
an individual sport. Tennis you’re alone on the court and
suddenly there is someone else there! I like the
interaction.”
She credits at least a fraction of her doubles prowess to the
fact that it was a requirement for junior players in the Czech
Republic. Players’ doubles rankings would contribute to their
overall ranking, which forced her to build a doubles skill set
at a young age. Now she’s attracting some of the best partners
on the circuit. At the Australian Open, she’ll team with her
vacation companion and two-time Grand Slam doubles champion,
Hlavackova. The newly minted duo won’t have to worry about
communication or chemistry in Melbourne – they’ve been friends
since age nine.
What’s Next for Lucie?
Safarova is currently working with Canadian coach Rob Steckley
in hopes of making a continuing impact on both the singles and
doubles court. She got off to a good start by reaching the
singles quarterfinal in Sydney, beating Caroline
Wozniacki along the way. She’ll face Julia
Glushko in the Australian Open first round.
Even with a few good wins here and there, Safarova knows how
challenging it is to make the leap into the top 15 and
beyond.
“The tennis season is so long, and you have to keep your
performance at such a high level,” she said. “It’s very
important to stay healthy to stay focused and to work hard,
obviously. I feel good, though. I’m happy with what we are
doing.”
Without a Grand Slam title or a top 10 ranking to her name, it
may be tempting to mindlessly toss Safarova to the seemingly
never-ending pile of “ovas” on the WTA Tour. But one look at
her booming serve and penetrating groundstrokes, and it’s clear
this sweet, quiet “veteran” has the tools to do damage at the
highest level. Fans who familiarize themselves with Safarova’s
game now will save themselves time if and when she becomes a
household name.
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