PRAGUE (AFP) – Wimbledon doubles champion Barbora Strycova revealed recently that while motherhood was a major contributor to her success it would prevent her from playing again at the All England Club.
The 37-year-old Czech lifted the trophy together with Hsieh Su-wei, who is the same age, in a repeat of their 2019 triumph.
Strycova announced her retirement before giving birth to son Vincent in September 2021, but returned for one last season, planning to wind up her career at the US Open starting on August 28.
“Motherhood helped me a lot,” said Strycova, who also reached the Wimbledon singles semi-finals in 2019.
“Being a mum is more than being a Wimbledon champion,” she told reporters in Prague, adding: “But it’s great that I can do both, be a mum and do my job.”
She said Vincent had seen her play in the second round.
“But he then wants to go to me and doesn’t understand that he can’t,” said Strycova to explain why he missed her other games.
He also missed the late-night final, after being put to bed by Strycova’s mother.
“We went to play the Wimbledon final and I was nervous but I knew my son would be there after the game and he doesn’t care if I win or lose,” she added.
“I was thinking of him in the final… and it helped me a lot because I stopped thinking about the game,” said Strycova, who has won two WTA singles and 32 doubles titles in her career.
Although she is grateful to her mother and mother-in-law for their help taking care of Vincent, she said it was impossible to go on like this for long.
“They help me a lot, but the kid is simply there with me and I sleep with him and Vincent is not much of a sleeper and so it’s really tough.”
“The idea that I would have to get ready for the next season is unrealistic,” she continued.
“I want to be with him and take it easy, use the baby-sitting for myself, go and get a massage nice and slow and not rush to a training session.”
Strycova managed no more than three rather short training sessions on court and four in the fitness centre a week in the run-up to Wimbledon.
