Sports News
Jiri Novak has drawn Agassi, Federer and Ferrero in the group stage of tennis's prestigious Masters Cup in Shanghai; we hear how he rates his chances. The Czech ice hockey team have beaten world champions Slovakia in a friendly ahead of the Karjala Cup. In football, there's no change at the top of the Czech league and, after an extremely long absence, Patrik Berger has lined up for Liverpool. All those stories and more are in Sports News.
Novak faces tough group in Masters Cup in Shanghai
The draw has been made for tennis's end-of-season eight-player Masters Cup in Shanghai, and the Czech number one Jiri Novak faces a tough group including world number two Andre Agassi, Roger Federer of Switzerland and Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero. Novak had this to say about his group-stage opponents in the prestigious tournament.
"It's a very tough group, that's for sure. Just the name 'Andre Agassi' says it all. I've never won a set against him in my life. I have a relatively good record against Roger Ferrer but he beat me the last time we met, in the final of a tournament in Vienna, so I'd say he's probably the favourite. As for Juan Carlos Ferrero, my record against him is pretty good, and I've beaten him on his strongest surface, clay."
Although he has not won a tournament this year, Jiri Novak, who is 27, has had the best season of his career, reaching the world top ten for the first time. Despite the strong competition he faces in the Masters Cup, which gets underway on Tuesday, he still plans to give his all against the big names of world tennis.
"We'll see how it turns out of course. I just hope that I manage to play well in some games and win, so that I make an impression on the organisers and the players. Of course I'll do everything I can to make sure I qualify from the group and they don't."
Czech Republic beats world champions Slovakia in ice hockey friendly
The Czech national ice hockey team did well in Plzen on Tuesday in a friendly ahead of the Karjala Cup. The Czech Republic beat world champions Slovakia 4:3, with goals coming from Michalek, Richter, Pletka and Prochazka. The Karjala Cup, which is the second tournament of the Euro Hockey Tour, gets underway on Thursday evening when the Czech take on Sweden.
Czech league roundup
The three clubs leading the Czech football league - Sparta, Slavia and Liberec - all notched up wins on Monday evening, so Sparta stay five points clear at the top. The most controversial inckdent of the round came in the clash between Slavia and Blsany, when the former's veteran midfielder Radek Bejbl was viciously fouled by Tomas Pesir. Somehow the Blsany forward managed to escape with only a yellow card, though the referee rectified his decision soon afterwards, when he gave Pesir a second yellow for a minor infringement. Bejbl, who is 30, said it was the worst foul he'd ever experienced.
Berger scores on comeback for Liverpool
It was only a Worthington Cup game, but - after an extremely long absence - Patrik Berger finally got a game for Liverpool on Wednesday, and celebrated his comeback by scoring from a free in their 3:1 win over Southampton. Fellow Czech Milan Baros set up Liverpool's second, and then netted the Red's third himself - following a pass from Patrik Berger.
