Sports News

In their first ever meeting, the Czech tennis team have beaten Slovakia - Jiri Novak tells us he's well satisfied with the 2:1 result. Czech ice hockey forward Jiri Dopita's NHL dream has ended in disappointment, and he himself has requested a move from club Edmonton Oilers. In football, Leeds and Spartak Moscow are said to fancy Sparta Prague's Jiri Jarosik, while erstwhile Czech hard-man international Tomas Repka has been sent off for the umpteenth time.

Czechs beat Slovaks in first ever tennis team meeting

Jiri Novak, Photo: CTK

Almost ten years to the day since the break-up of Czechoslovakia, Czech and Slovak tennis teams met for the first time ever at the weekend, with the Czechs finishing 2:1 winners at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, which is a warm-up for the Australian Open. In the opening game, the Czech women's number one, Daja Bedanova, outplayed the world number eight Daniela Hantuchova, beating the Slovak 3:6 6:4 6:1. Leading Czech men's player Jiri Novak is still in form after an excellent season, and dismissed Dominik Hrbaty 7:6 5:7 6:3. Though the Slovak duo won the mixed doubles, Jiri Novak was pleased with the singles results.

"Both games were very difficult. Daja Bedanova played the first game and she won even though it looked at one point like it was all over, when she was 3:6 2:4 down, but she somehow turned it around to win. Then myself and Dominik went on court and we played some fantastic tennis. Even though it was only an exhibition tournament we take it as preparation for the tournaments coming up. I'm very glad because we played as a team and the main thing is I enjoyed playing, that's the most important thing."

Dopita reportedly Europe-bound after failing to make impact in NHL

Czech forward Jiri Dopita's dreams of making it in the sport's most prestigious league, the NHL, have ended in disappointment. Dopita, who is 34, notched up a series of successes at Czech club Vsetin, and had been regarded at one time as the best player outside the NHL. Half-way through his second unsuccessful season at the Edmonton Oilers Dopita himself requested a transfer, and is now expected to sign with a club in Europe.

Under 20 hockey team win one, lose one at Junior World Championships

The Czech Under 20 hockey team have won one, lost one at the Junior World Championships in Canada. The youngsters beat the Germans 3:0 in their opening game Friday, before going down 4:0 to hosts Canada on Saturday. The other two teams in their group are Sweden and Finland.

Sparta fail to cut mustard on international stage

Extraliga champions Sparta Prague have not been faring well at the international Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, and have lost all of their three games so far.

Jarosik won't come cheap, says Sparta boss

While Sparta Prague have just started training with new coach Jiri Kotrba, the club are reportedly considering offers for 25-year-old midfielder Jiri Jarosik. Sparta chairman Vlastimil Kostal says both Spartak Moscow and Leeds United are interested in Jarosik but the club won't let him go for less than 150 million crowns, or almost 5 million euros.

Hot-headed hard-man Repka sees red (yet again)

Erstwhile Czech international defender Tomas Repka was left on the bench by West Ham on Saturday, after being sent off yet again on St Stephen's Day. Hot-headed hard-man Repka has been sent off three times in 53 appearances for West Ham and has picked up 25 yellow cards - just about one every second game.

Tatra truck team hope for win in Dakar 2003 rally

The Czech Tatra truck team have left for Marseilles for the start of the Dakar 2003 rally, which begins on New Year's Day. The Tatra team are once again led by six-time winner Karel Loprais. Loprais's partner Tomas Tomecek said his Christmas wish was to be healthy on the winners' podium when the world's toughest off-road race ends on January 19.