Dubai: Karolina Pliskova’s confidence is sky-high ahead of next month’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships from February 19 to March 1 after claiming her seventh career win at the Brisbane International last week.
The triumph followed her best-ever season during which the World No. 5 won Nottingham and Cincinnati and reached the Eastbourne final.
She also came to within one victory of earning her first Grand Slam at the US Open where she overcame Venus Williams in the fourth round and Serena Williams in the semis before falling to Angelique Kerber in the final.
The 24-year-old Czech closed out the year by playing a part in her country’s Fed Cup final victory over France.
In view of her success it’s surprising that Pliskova claims to be less than comfortable at such events, but she’s adapting with time.
“I always knew I had a big game so if I’m playing well I can beat the good players, the best players,” she said. “But it’s tough sometimes to play the best tennis on the big stages. Now I think I finally got used to it. I’m not scared of anything, not my opponents, not myself, not the crowd, not anything. I think it just takes time with me and some experience, which I have now.”
Pliskova will need all her confidence ahead of a strong field for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next month. Seven further members of the top 10 are also vying for the title, including World No. 1 Angelique Kerber, reigning French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and former Dubai winners, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki.
Others bidding for success will be WTA Finals champion Dominika Cibulkova, Britain’s Johanna Konta and three-time Dubai finalist and two-time Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova.
After a great run in New York all eyes will be on Pliskova to see if she can go one win better at the Australian Open. But although that surely adds extra pressure she insists it won’t be the case.
“I’m not going to feel any pressure (in Melbourne),” she said. “Obviously people are going to say that I have a good chance. I’m hearing this more often, that I’m going to win a Grand Slam this year. But I don’t care if it’s this year or next. I just want to try my best at every Grand Slam.”
Tickets for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships go on sale on January 17 at Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud, which opens from 9am to 9pm daily, and also online via http://www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/en/tickets For further information visit www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com.
