They are not particularly fond of clay, although on slower surfaces such as those made for the more athletic types of tennis players, they have been able to achieve significant success during their extraordinary careers.

Petra Kvitová reached the semifinals of the grand slam of Roland Garros twice (2012, 2020), and Karolína Plíšková managed to beat the same goal in 2017.

Kvitová has three titles from Madrid at home, and Plíšková beat Roma. And in the past, they have also shone in Stuttgart, Germany.

In 2018 and 2019, only two Czech stars took turns posing with the winner’s signature trophy and cell phone prize from the main sponsor’s workshop, a luxury Porsche.

While in recent years Kvitová and Plíšková have been in Stuttgart as the most exposed stars that have received the most attention, this year the situation is different.

Another player takes over the role of the main face of the tournament. Of course, new world number one Polka Iga wiateková boasted a phenomenal streak of 19 straight winning matches, bringing back Canadian Bianca Andreescu and especially nineteen-year-old British sensation, US Open champion Emma Raducanu. He came to Stuttgart straight from the weekend’s Billie Jean King Cup duel at tvanice Prague despite a leg injury and painful blisters.

Kvitová and Plíšková found themselves out of the headlights, but the spicy lottery of the first round returned them to the limelight to some extent. The duel of the experienced Czech champions promises a lot and is interesting for its uncertainties.

Both Czechs have faced significant crises this season.

Plíšková, the seventh player in the current rankings, played after a broken wrist in early March and has since won his only game out of four.

He lost his first duels in Indian Wells and Miami, Russia’s Danka Koviničová and Anna Kalinská were not enough in Montenegro. After a big fight, she pushed the world’s 200th player, Katarina Zavacka, to Ukraine on clay, but in the second half she played only four gems with Ekaterina Alexandrova.

After the tournament, he admitted that he had not been able to fully train for a long time. Therefore, he did not care about the current failure.

“I try to think positively. I’m happy to be playing again. The break was very long, I didn’t play for almost five months in winter break. I know I’m not a player who can come back after a time like that and win the tournament right away. I need time,” explained the 30-year-old Czech in an interview with the WTA’s official website.

Laughing, he suggested that his patience might not last forever. “Look, I’m sure now. I’m a completely different person. But just wait until I lose more.”

Health problems and training blackouts also hindered Petra Kvitová. The main problem is the recurrent inflammation of the left wrist, where the world’s 28th player currently holds the racket.

The former world number two’s season balance is even: 9 wins and 9 losses, while the 32-year-old managed to win three matches in a row for the first time in late March in Miami.

Before the next quarter-final against wiateková, Kvitová told Radiožurnál: “The ribs played well, at least we’ll see how I do. I have nothing to lose.”

He was not enough at Polka, he did not develop a single breakball and lost in 77 minutes 3:6, 3:6.

The two Czech tennis players are already one of the most experienced members of the current world leader. Plíšková is the oldest player in the top ten, while Kvitová is the third oldest player in the top 30.

For the sixth time in his career, he will face each other. Kvitová led the balance of reciprocity with a 3:2 ratio, but the last time the famous Czechs met was more than three years ago in the Champions Tournament, where Plíšková won 6:3, 6:4 in the bottom group.

The Czech Battle will open Wednesday’s program in Stuttgart. The duel starts at 12:30.