Judging by that grin, Klara Koukalova likes it here in Hobart. Then again, how else would you explain her return to the furthest tournament from her native Prague for a ninth year?
“Well, I’m old!” she says with a laugh during a break from practice at the Domain Tennis Centre. But the 32-year-old admits there’s more to her repeat appearances in the Tasman capital than simply racking up the years on tour.
“The people are so nice, that’s why I’m always coming back,” the Czech explained. “They make me feel good. It’s more of a family tournament because it’s smaller here – and I have some great memories here, like last year.”
She certainly does. A Hobart International semi-finalist back in 2011, Koukalova kicked off 2014 by going one round better with runs to both the singles and doubles finals. She couldn’t halt Garbine Muguruza’s spellbinding run from qualifying to the title, but returned alongside Monica Niculescu to claim her second doubles title in as many weeks after the duo’s victory in Shenzen.
Koukalova stuck with the Romanian throughout the season and ended the year with a career-high-doubles ranking of No.37 in the world. But while the extra court time improved her singles fortunes – she reached the final in Rio de Janeiro and won her first title in nine years in Florianopolis – it also took its toll as the season wore on.
“I played very well in the first part of the year, until May – then it was…something different,” she said, the smile a little wry now. From Wimbledon until the end of the season Koukalova added just five first-round wins, but is determined to start afresh in 2015 – and stay fresh as long as she can.
“I spoke to my coach and we decided not to play so many doubles, because I am not the youngest,” she said. “At the end of the year I felt a little bit tired, maybe from the extra matches.
“I have a lot of points to defend these five months, which is going to be very tough for me. I’m looking forward to it, though.”
Koukalova looks forward to her tennis more with each passing year. Now in her 16th year as a professional, the world No.39 seems to be getting better with age, reaching career-high rankings in both singles and doubles at a time that most pros find age is catching up with them. What’s her magic formula?
“I don’t know what the secret is – maybe I’m just enjoying playing tennis a bit more,” she said. “I try to be less stressed, and my set-up is more professional than it was 10 years ago. Back then I didn’t travel with a coach, I had to do everything myself and was tired a lot of the time. I would change this for sure if I was 22 again.”
Perhaps, however, those tough early experiences go some way to explaining how she has maintained her place among the world’s top 50 for the past five seasons. Koukalova suggests it might even explain the Czech Republic’s Fed Cup dominance in recent times, having been part of the squad that claimed a third title in four years against Germany in October.
“I tried to help with commentating the final! It was something different for me, really fun,” Koukalova recalls. “In the past we had very tough conditions and maybe that makes us stronger. We have a lot of very good players, and we are very happy about this – but I don’t really know the reason why!”
Whatever the secret may be, it’s enough to keep Klara smiling, no matter how old she says she feels. Could she prove age is just but a number and go one better than last year next Saturday?
If nothing else, it would give her another reason for liking the place.