ATP Tour

Kopriva grew up 200 metres from Kvitova, now faces Sinner at US Open

Vit Kopriva will compete inside the biggest tennis-only stadium in the world Tuesday when he takes on defending champion Jannik Sinner in the first round of the US Open. The 28-year-old has come a long way from Fulnek, Czechia, the small town of less than 6,000 people where he grew up.

Coincidentally, Kopriva is not the only professional tennis player from Fulnek. He grew up two blocks from two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who played the final match of her career Monday at Flushing Meadows.

“[Tennis] was more and more popular with my friends and everyone in the town,” Kopriva told ATPTour.com. “[It was] such a good achievement for her to win Wimbledon a first time, then a second time.”

Their connection was much more significant than being neighbours. Kvitova’s father and brother coached Kopriva. Being reminded of that brought a smile to Kvitova’s face ahead of the US Open.

“We are playing different styles a little bit, but it’s actually really fun. My dad when I left the city, he wanted to coach, so he wanted to coach Vitek,” Kvitova told ATPTour.com. “[Then] he felt like he got old, so my brother took care of him. They are still watching his matches and now he played Korda in Winston-Salem and my dad was watching him and texting me how he played.

“It’s still in the family, so it’s nice. We were literally growing up 200 metres from each other, so it was fun.”

“She's older than me, so she was playing much better tennis,” Kopriva added. “But her family was [with me] at the beginning of my career.”

When Kopriva was growing up, he had plenty of countrymen and countrywomen to look up to. Although he did not follow professional tennis every week, he was well aware of the likes of Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek, who led their country to Davis Cup glory in 2012 and 2013.

“Berdych was winning every year something, [and he was] Top 10 for I don't know how long. He was there all the time,” Kopriva said. “At that time, I didn't realise that he was that good. Now I can admit it's even better than I thought when I was young. But it was so cool that if you were watching tennis on TV and the Czechs were there, you could watch them and cheer for them. That was pretty cool for young players to have idols to like tennis more.

“I didn't realise how tough it is to get to the top, [like] I’ve realised now… The players were there, you were cheering for them. They won the Davis Cup, they won the [Billie Jean King] Cup, all the achievements were there.”

Kopriva’s own breakthrough came in 2021, when as the No. 249 player in the PIF ATP Rankings he reached the semi-finals of the Gstaad ATP 250 event.

“That was I think the most important event for myself to believe that I can be better,” Kopriva recalled. “I beat Shapovalov in the second round. It was my first upset win, it was huge for myself.”

The Czech’s clash with Sinner will not be the first time he will compete on such a stage. Last year, Kopriva played Novak Djokovic in the first round at Wimbledon, falling in straight sets.

“I think I learned a lot: how good he is, the experience of playing in such a big stadium, the way he plays, how he acts,” Kopriva said. “Then I had a pretty good season to break into the Top 100, so I guess I took from the match only positive things, even if it didn’t go my way.”

Kopriva learned he would play Sinner while in the locker room inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday. He came across the Italian later in the day and exchanged a quick hello. This will be their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, but not the pair’s first time sharing a court. They once practised together at an ITF World Tennis Tour event in Subotica, Serbia.

“We were both there, like the only ones who were practising on the side, so it was cool,” Kopriva said. “At that time, I didn't know who [Jannik] was, and then I realised in the practice and [thought], ‘Oh, yeah, this kid can play, huh?’”

The World No. 89 knows he faces a difficult task against the World No. 1.

“Of course, I have to go there to give the best, what I can to try to win the match,” Kopriva said. “That's, I think, the only chance, how you can step into the court: not just to enjoy.”