Czech Nationals : Hat-trick for Solnický and a new women´s champion in Šrámková

Hat-trick for Solnický and a new women´s champion in Šrámková

The Czech nationals 2024 were played on the glass court in Galerie Halfa shopping mall in Prague. In the men´s draw the top four seeds all made it relatively easily into the semis.

Top seeded Martin Švec was beaten by his team mate from Brno Daniel Mekbib in four closely fought games. Daniel pulled out of PSA tournament semifinal a week before nationals with a slight hamstring injury and his movement was a little limited but he proved he was mentally stronger than Martin and played the big points better.

Jakub Solnický in another battle of team mates from Ostrava defeated Viktor Byrtus in four games as well. He seemed to be more solid and was able to absorb all the pressure Viktor tried to put him under.

The final was really close in the first two games. Solnický won the first but Mekbib managed to draw level in the second. But from the mid part of the third game it was clear it was a match too far for Daniel. Jakub kept turning the screw and punished him with more and more tough rallies and Daniel wasn´t able to respond. At 10/5 Jakub managed to finish the final rally with a superb forhand cross court volley nick. He won his third title in a row.

In the women´s draw everybody was looking forward to see how Anna Serme, four time champion, would do after her break where she gave birth to her son. She made it to the semis to face Michaela Čepová who came back to squash last year after a two years break and played some very good squash throughout the season. Anna won the first two games with an attacking game which was really not seen from her before. When she got to 5/0 in the third it looked like the match was over but Michaela had other ideas. She kept fighting and Anna started to slow down a bit. The third game was close but Michaela got it 11/9 and she never looked back in the fourth and fifth to progress to the final for the first time.

The second semifinal was a repeat of last year´s final. This time 17-year old Karolína Šrámková got her revenge over 6-time champion Olga Kolářová in straight games.

So before the final we knew there would be a new champion crowned. Michaela started better and dominated the first game. Karolína came back strongly and took the next two with relative ease. The fourth game was closer. Karolina got to 10/7 and had 3 matchballs. All saved, same as another two at 11/10 and 12/11. The sixth matchball at 13/12 was finally converted and Karolína could celebrate her first women´s title.

Viktor Byrtus beat Martin Švec 3/1 to win a bronze medal and Anna Serme managed to win the match for third place between multiple champions from the past against Olga Kolářová 3/0.

Report from Tomas Forter, photos from Irena Vanišová (squashpage.net)

Full Men’s Results  Full Women’s Results