The year 2024 has started very nicely for Karolina Pliskova. She waited many months for a tournament triumph to finally see her win the trophy in Cluj. She kept up with the top players, still hovering around the top 40 of the rankings, and even played the final in Nottingham on grass.
Then came a huge stroke of bad luck. At the US Open, her match with Italy's Paolini ended in the second round after just two minutes. She hasn't been able to play since August 29th, 2024. It's been 383 long days...
Flashscore: What comes to mind when you think of last year's unfortunate match at the US Open with Jasmine Paolini? There were only three exchanges...
Pliskova: "My ankle broke and they took me away in a wheelchair. The biggest embarrassment... I went straight to the hospital. They found out that it was just cracked all over. Ligaments, tendons... Only the bones were holding it together. So basically, the surgery was a no-brainer."
Did you know at the time that it was going to be more than a year off?
"Of course I thought so: I'm young, sometimes things hurt, but we just play! I've never been health-conscious, but sometimes I've had a problem like my wrist, sometimes something stuck somewhere, but otherwise I've never missed a tournament. I never crossed. My body's always been good. So I figured I'd be fine, I'd be back in three months. But then it started... I was already planning on playing Australia. And if I didn't, I was gonna do Miami and Indian Wells in March. And now I'm actually just catching the end of the season..."
What went wrong?
"There were complications with the healing. And in the end I had to have one more surgery because it wasn't getting any better and my leg was still extremely swollen. It couldn't take any strain, nothing. Well... and it's been over a year, although I wouldn't say that. It went pretty fast."
From tennis player to podcaster
You weren't bored. In fact, you made yourself known on a regular weekly basis when you and your husband, Michal Hrdlicka, started the podcast, Rakety.
"I enjoy it. It also makes me watch a little bit of tennis, which maybe a lot of times I wouldn't watch. Now I've been playing some of the matches on tape to keep me in the loop. The beginning was a bit harder, but now it's relaxing. And by not playing, I've stayed close to tennis."
Is it hard to find new topics every time?
"I know it seems like we actually hated tennis. We don't. It's about getting together and talking about tennis for an hour. We'd talk for three, but then no one would listen to us." (laughs)
How did it all come about?
"My husband Michal kicked it off. He originally wanted to start it with his sister (a former professional tennis player - author's note), because Kristyna started commentating and she had seen a lot of tennis. And when I got injured, they asked me if I wanted to do it too.
"And there are four of us, Fanda Haspl is commentating, so he sees a lot too. He's a complete outlier. He's crazy, he watches the challengers, everything, he's got a huge overview. And now we'll see how it goes. It might be harder because I'll be travelling. And also, I don't really want to criticise or talk about others. Because then when I play against them, it's stupid if I lose to them. So I might only join in occasionally now."
So let's get back on the court. You're now starting in Portugal. What's the overall plan for your comeback, actually?
"I'm going to my first tournament now. The plan is that I want to play something this year. But I don't have any big illusions about what that might even look like. I don't know. Maybe it will be great, but maybe not. But I'm going into it with the idea that I'd like to be ready for Australia and the whole next season."
How hard is it going to be to even get into tournaments?
"I'm not on the rankings at all right now. But the protected one, I'm in something like the top 40, which is pretty good. I can actually get in pretty much anywhere. And I'll get some cards. So yes, there is some security."
You're now starting in Portugal. What about the other destinations, have you got any idea about them?
"I got my card for Portugal, then I have cards somewhere in Asia. I think I got it for Tokyo and somewhere in Japan and I've also been offered somewhere in China. But that's more of a plan for later, when I feel more comfortable and confident.
"Right now, with this first start, we're kind of living day to day. I can't plan anything five or six weeks in advance yet. Of course, I would like to go to as many tournaments as possible, but we'll see what my body says."
Do you think you are an attraction for tournament organisers? It's already widely known that you want to come back.
"For the smaller tournaments, for sure, I still have a name. But for the big ones, I really don't know. Of course, it's always difficult to get into the grand slams, but thanks to the protected ranking, I can choose two next year, and of course, I'll take advantage of that."
And do you know which ones yet?
"I'll probably take Australia and Wimbledon. I think that's where I have the best chance to play something. And the US Open, I hope I can get to without any help anymore. I would just skip Paris, but maybe I'll play something and get there too. But it's hard to make a long-term decision like that, you don't know what's going to happen in six months. My body is so uncertain right now. I can see it's not just the leg, I'm just dealing with other things. It's just broken after doing nothing..."
You've been out of tennis for a year, unable to play. How did it feel when you picked up a racket? Didn't you lose your stroke confidence?
"Tennis is fine. I went to play after six months, and it felt like the break was only two weeks. My arm is totally fine. I don't think I've lost my feel for the ball. It's the physical condition that's worse. I mean, I couldn't even walk, so it took me an awfully long time to start running and moving in general.
"Movement is just a bigger problem, it's not that good, but I believe I'm going to pass something and get some portion of matches in over time. But I have the strength, I've actually been in the gym continuously and have been for two months post-op. At the time I was like, I've got to be quick, quick, just in case the leg is good, I'd better be ready."
Who did you train with anyway? Most female players travel the world...
"That was a real problem. The last few weeks, I played with some guys because there wasn't much in Prague, or the girls were injured. So somehow we couldn't find anyone. So the test will really be the tournament."
You waited over a year to come back. You watched Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova, for example, who also had a forced break for over a year.
"Everybody has it different. But they were postpartum, and that's different from surgery. I don't know how emotional it was for them, but I think they started pretty early. Belinda for sure, she was maybe playing after a year. And like her, I wanted to start with something smaller and not go to Beijing and get someone unplayable.
"So it's not that time of the season that I can choose. But it's a 125 category and I think it could be a good one to start with. Then I'm planning to go to Asia, thinking I'd like to play some smaller tournaments there, but maybe play Wu-chan, which is a 1,000."
Fierce competition
There is criticism across the tennis community that there are too many tournaments, players are overloaded and a lot of injuries are occurring. How do you see this problem?
"I think it's the same, if not better, than it used to be. I know how there used to be a lot of travel. There was the Fed Cup three times a year, which doesn't take as much time now either.
"Recently, an older tennis player was telling me that right after the US Open, they used to go to the Davis Cup, which was played in five sets. And the girls? I feel like they're just always complaining, but I don't know what for. They're also paid more than they've ever been paid."
But there have been changes in the tournament calendar...
"Yes, they've made some two-week tournaments, but I feel like it's just killing time. Everybody's training anyway, they're on their feet. It's not like you take a week off. So I don't really agree with that."
So where do you see the problem?
"I don't like to compare different seasons. But yes, before, for example, at the Grand Slam, it was clear that the first three rounds, the leading player easily passed, the elite ten were bounced. Now maybe only Sabalenka has that certainty. It's just more competitive; the tennis is more physical. There are some 120 girls today who can beat anyone in the top 10. They all try hard, they have teams around them, fitness coaches, everything."
How is your team actually composed?
"I've put together a sort of mini-team now with two coaches from our academy, Michal Franek has done some tournaments with me and was there when I won in Cluj last year. The other one is Martin Triska, and he is not with me in Portugal. He is also a former player, and he and Michal know each other very well.
"Of course, Martin Salvador, my physiotherapist, who I've been with for maybe over 10 years, he will have to be everywhere. And I also have a fitness coach, who I started working with last year before the US Open. He'll probably be going to a couple of tournaments afterwards as well."
When will you assess whether the comeback has been successful and what else do you want to achieve?
"I have a team of some good people around me and I want to take it easy. I don't want a star coach or any pressure,I don't really want to expect anything right now, I just want to take it easy. Maybe it will work."