SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, January 4, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
Team Czechia’s road to the United Cup semifinals has been a challenging one. However, the Czechs have succeeded behind a dynamic duo comprised of Karolina Muchova and Tomas Machac. They have played outstanding tennis at the start of the 2025 season, both on the singles court and together as a formidable mixed doubles team.
Saturday evening inside Ken Rosewall Arena, the 22nd-ranked Muchova will oppose World No. 3 Coco Gauff (3-0) of the United States and No. 25 Machac will face off against World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, who is 2-1. If the score is tied 1-1 after singles, look for Muchova and Machac to team up in mixed doubles against Gauff and Fritz. They’re 1-1 together, with a win over Norway and a tough loss to Poland.
FLYING THROUGH TO THE SEMIS #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/oTai2MGM8O
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 3, 2025
In the lead-up to the semifinals, Czechia defeated Norway 2-1 and lost to Poland 1-1. However, the Czechs advanced to the quarterfinals as the best second-place team in Sydney. On Friday evening, the eighth-seeded Czechs rose to the occasion and defeated No. 4-seed Italy 2-1 in the quarterfinal round – clinching the tie with a pair of crucial straight-set wins in singles by Muchova and Machac – to advance against top-seeded United States in the semifinals Saturday night.
First, Muchova blitzed World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2, then Machac followed with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over No. 32 Flavio Cobolli, needing just 54 minutes to win.
“I really wanted to bring a point to the team so I was trying to stay focused,” Muchova said during her on-court interview. “Jasmine is an unbelievable player. It was a really tough match. I knew I had to go until the end. She had many break chances. I think I served well. I’m really happy I made it.”
This girl is on FIREEEEE @karomuchova7 gets the win for Team Czechia after defeating Paolini in straight sets 6-2,6-2! #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/nPLLOK8zKR
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 3, 2025
Machac said he enjoyed his time on the court against Cobolli, in which he won 85 percent of his first-serve points and limited his opponent to winning only 53 percent of his first-serve points. Machac struck nine winners to three for Cobolli and converted four of four break-point opportunities.
“There were really no mistakes on my side,” he said. “If there were any small mistakes, I just tried to repair it as soon as possible. So, I was playing really great today.”
THIS IT WHAT IT MEANS #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/kecYR1eDcL
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 3, 2025
Furthest Czechia has advanced at United Cup
Czechia has appeared in all three editions of the United Cup, finishing second in its group in 2023 behind eventual champion the United States, and third in its group in 2024. This is the first time the Czechs have reached the knockout rounds and they can thank Muchova and Machac. Muchova is coming off an abbreviated 2024 season, in which she went 21-7 after recovering from a lengthy injury layoff. Machac won 33 of 56 matches and reached a career-high ranking by the end of 2024.
“It is very exciting for us to be here,” team captain Daniel Vacek said at the outset of the tournament. “I’m extremely excited to have such a strong team with Karo and Tomas.”
Twice, Muchova has played in the lead-off rubber for the Czechs and she’s won both times, against Norway’s Malene Helgø, 6-2, 6-2, and Paolini. Her only loss came against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-3, 6-4, in which she played in the second rubber.
“I think it’s actually very positive to play at the start of the season such great matches, especially for us, before Melbourne kicks in,” Muchova said during one of her team’s news conferences this week. By the time she faces Gauff, Muchova, who is the second-highest ranked Czech woman behind World No. 10 Barbara Krejcikova, will have played against three of the Top 4-ranked players in the WTA Rankings in this week alone. “I look forward to that.”
Despite losing to Swiatek, Muchova said: “I take it very positively to play such a great match against her before the main event [Australian Open] comes.”
Googling someone during a blind date
Team Czechia take on our Diary Room!#UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/cI3hgOHqVc
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 1, 2025
Meanwhile, Machac has won two of his first three matches. He lost his opener to World No. 6 Casper Rudd of Norway, 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-4. Then, he defeated World No. 16 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, and Cobolli. His loss to Ruud stretched to three hours before the outcome was decided.
“I was really enjoying the match,” Machac said, “because I was sick before this tournament. I didn’t do any pre-season as I wanted to. But I was really fighting the whole match. I was surprised that I can play this level [for] three sets. I was really enjoying that.”
After they teamed to beat Italy, Muchova said in her team’s post-match news conference: “We both kept focused and played good, held our serves, brought the good tennis.”
On another level
Machac seals the spot in the semis for Team Czechia with a 6-1 6-2 win over Cobolli #UnitedCup pic.twitter.com/lqJZuud3CP
— United Cup (@UnitedCupTennis) January 3, 2025
Muchova was asked by a reporter to describe why she’s been able to dominate Paolini, winning all five of their matches while dropping just one set. She replied: “I think overall I always player her in a good moment. You know, maybe if I played her as a first match it wouldn’t be that easy. My last match I lost against Iga. I always try to learn and focus more on the next match, try to learn from the mistakes.
“I think I was more focused today [Friday]. I was trying to get better than I did before. That it’s her on the other side, yeah, I mean it’s tough. I think I played really great and she didn’t have that much space to lead a game. I think I didn’t let her play her game.
“I think I’m getting better match by match, and I had a good day today,” Muchova added.
Tomas Machac (photo: Tennis Australia/Steven Markham)
Machac was asked if he might be able to play at the same level against Fritz as he did against Cobolli despite going in as an underdog against the American.
“Well, I will try my best, of course,” he said, “but I think he’s one of the best players right now – definitely – on the hard court. So, I think they know my power already. I showed myself in Shanghai that I beat Carlos [Alcaraz] in his prime, and he was saying that also. I know I have this [kind of] tennis to beat those guys.
Both Muchova and Machac will leave the United Cup with a positive outlook toward what’s to come – namely the Australian Open, which begins in a little more than a week in Melbourne.
“It’s so good, especially before Melbourne is going to come, to have these tough matches,” Muchova said. “I’m playing, I’d say, almost Top-10 players. … I didn’t play matches for two months or something like that. It’s very important for me to play them, to play the best players, to see where is my game, where is their game. Then, we learn from the wins and the loss, as well, and just try to get back to where I was played at the end of last year – and even better.”
