Sports News
Czech tennis number one Jiri Novak beat Andre Agassi for the first time ever at the Masters Cup in Shanghai, though Roger Federer proved tougher opposition. In football, the police have begun investigating allegations that a former Zizkov player took a bribe, while two of the best-known managers in Czech football are reportedly bound for the former Soviet Union. All those stories and more are in Sports News.
Novak beats Agassi, loses to Federer at prestigious Masters Cup
"When it was 5:2 the game changed, maybe because I started playing a bit more aggressively. I took a lot of risks. When Agassi had service for the first set at 5:3 I broke his serve to make it 5:4. Then I kept service to make it 5:5 and that's when the match really started to turn around, because it could have gone completely differently."
After that memorable victory, Jiri Novak faced Switzerland's Roger Federer on Thursday, and got off to an absolutely dreadful start, losing the first set 6:0. The Zlin-born player fought back gamely in the second, breaking Federer's serve once to take the set 6:4. However, Novak then seemed to lose concentration and was slower and less accurate than in the match against Agassi. Federer improved his serve and won the final set 6-2. Novak next faces Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, and still has a chance of proceeding to the semifinals.
Police investigate football bribery allegation
After an internal Czech FA inquiry, the police have been asked to investigate allegations that former Viktoria Zizkov defender Tomas Hunal took a bribe before the crucial final game of last season against Slavia, when Zizkov conceded a soft 11th hour goal which cost them the game, and an historic league championship. The Czech FA are threatening to ban Hunal - who now plays for Teplice after being kicked out by Zizkov - for failing to appear before a disciplinary committee. The police, meanwhile, are expected to conclude their investigation in the next month.
Bohemians sack captain after dismal league run
Bohemians have sacked captain Michal Petrous after an absolutely disastrous first half of the season. After coming fourth last season, the Prague club currently lie at the bottom of the table with only nine points from 13 games.
Petrzela, Chovanec eastwards bound?
Two of the best-known managers in Czech football are reportedly heading east. Vlastimil Petrzela is in talks with Zenit St Petersburg, a club he points out has a budget several times higher than the richest Czech side Sparta Prague. First though, Petrzela has to negotiate a release from his contract at Mlada Boleslav. Former Czech international manager Josef Chovanec is in a similar position, and must agree terms with Pribram in order to take up a post at Ukraine's Shakhtyor Donetsk.
Great start for Slegr at Siberian club
Czech ice hockey player Jiri Slegr has just moved to Siberia and had a dream start at his new club Omsk, notching up one goal and one assist in first game. Slegr later celebrated at Omsk's Svejk pub.
