Meet the Czechs

CZECH REPUBLIC has a population of just over 10 million but the nation still boasts great depth in women's tennis with nine players currently in the top-100. Leading their cohort is the hard-hitting left-hander Petra Kvitova, who took the mantle of Czech No.1 after claiming her second WTA title in Brisbane last week.

Petra Kvitova

THE 20-year-old, who was born in the eastern Czech town of Bilovec, has already made a definite impact on the tour since turning pro in 2006 and Kvitova, who is the highest ranked left-hander on the WTA tour, is renowned for her ferocious ball-striking abilities. Kvitova's high-tariff game means she's not be the most consistent or reliable performer on a week-to-week basis but the Czech, who was the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2010, has already put together some noteworthy Grand Slam performances. On her main-draw Grand Slam debut in 2008, Kvitova reached the fourth round of the French Open, defeating Sam Stosur and Agnes Szavay, en route to a three-set loss to Kaia Kanepi and Kvitova salvaged something from her injury-plagued 2009 campaign as she equalled her best-ever Grand Slam performance at the US Open, saving match-points to defeat world No.1 Dinara Safina in the third round before a narrow loss to Yanina Wickmayer.

Prior to her third Wimbledon appearance last year, Kvitova had failed to register a win on grass-courts but after a lack of initial success, Kvitova emerged with remarkable aplomb and showed form of the calibre which could take her to Grand Slam success at Wimbledon in the post-Williams era. She won ten games in succession to defeat Eastbourne finalist Victoria Azarenka 7-5 6-0, before a comprehensive 6-2 6-0 dismissal of soon-to-be world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth-round. Kvitova showed remarkable resilience by saving five match-points to defeat Grand Slam nemesis Kanepi in the quarter-finals and gained more admirers as she gave Serena Williams a competitive semi-final on Centre Court.

Kvitova started 2011 with great promise with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Andrea Petkovic for the Brisbane title and the Czech will be a key protagonist in women's tennis is she's able to maintain such a sharp vein of form.

Lucie Safarova

SAFAROVA has been the leading Czech exponent over the past five years but the 23-year-old, who is the long-time partner of Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, was recently usurped in the domestic rankings by Brisbane winner Kvitova.

Safarova is a stalwart in the top-40 but injuries have perhaps prevented her from making the impact she's capable of, although the 23-year-old has amassed a creditable four WTA titles and eight victories over top-10 opposition in her career. Safarova shares many of the same attributes as Kvitova, such as a strong service game and formidable baseline prowess but despite a succession of deep runs on the WTA circuit such as a final in Paris last year as well as semi-final showings in Stuttgart and Madrid, Safarova has failed to deliver the goods in Grand Slam competitions with five first round losses from her previous six showings.

While such form doesn't invite too much optimism, Safarova still has time on her side and the capabilities of reaching the higher echelons of the rankings.

Klara Zakopalova

HAVING been languishing just inside the top-100 in May, Zakopalova enjoyed one of her best years to date with a resurgent second-half of the season, finishing 2010 ranked 41^st in the world. Zakopalova reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, which was her best Grand Slam showing to date and after a spirited showing on the grass-courts, the 28-year-old reached her first WTA in over two years in Copenhagen, as well as making the final in Seoul.

Zakopalova, who is renowned as something of a giant-killer with victories over Monica Seles, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Dinara Safina over the years, lacks a penetrating serve and can lack confidence but when she's on form, Zakopalova is a superb shot-maker and is a proficient exponent on all surfaces. The Czech must be looking towards the top-30 after a five-year hiatus.

Iveta Benesova

THE 27-year-old fell away from the top-40 over the course of the 2010 season but despite a drop in the rankings, Benesova amassed a solid season which gives hope to an improved showing this year. After a six year hiatus, the left-handed veteran claimed her second WTA title in Fes, improving her win-loss record in finals to 2-6 and Benesova also scored her first top-ten win in over five years, as she upset No.1 seed Jelena Jankovic in Montreal. Benesova also claimed four doubles titles but her year was marred by 14 first round exits in singles. Like Zakopalova, Benesova is another player who is susceptible from suffering with a lack of confidence but she strikes the ball with great timing, albeit with very little margin for error.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

THE Czech No.5 enjoyed an illustrious record in the junior ranks but is struggling to make the same impact on the senior circuit, although last year the 24-year-old showed some semblance of her form which made her the world's leading junior in singles and doubles. Zahlavova Strycova, who won two Grand Slam junior titles at the Australian Open including a 6-0 7-5 victory over Maria Sharapova in 2002 , made her first WTA tour final on home-soil in Prague and reached a career-high of No.39. The Czech, coached by her husband Jakub Zahlava, started 2011 well by taking advantage of a favourable draw to reach the quarter-finals in Brisbane, before reaching the second round in Sydney.

Zahlavova Strycova is a counter-puncher but given her physical limitations, the Czech, who is only 5'4'', struggles to win many free points from her serve and pose a consistent danger off the ground but while Zahlavova Strycova lacks power, the Czech is a fine all-rounder and her forecourt prowess has helped her build a stellar doubles career in the senior ranks.

Kveta Peschke

A stalwart of the Fed Cup team, Peschke is a world-class doubles player and the 35-year-old made her fourth appearance at the Year End Championships in Doha last year. Despite re-establishing herself in the top-10 of the world rankings after an injury-ridden 2009 season, Peschke's win-loss ratio in finals was somewhat disappointing, as the Czech-Slovenian pairing came off second best in the French Open and Year-End-Championships final. Peschke, who won one WTA singles title before focusing on doubles, also made the mixed-doubles final at the US Open with Alsam Ul-Haq Qureshi but narrowly lost to the experienced duo of Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber.

However, with the Williams sisters and the two-time Grand Slam champion combo of Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova absent from the Australian Open, this could be Peschke's time to step up to the plate.

Karolina Pliskova

KAROLINA came to prominence when she dashed the hopes of Laura Robson in the junior final of the Australian Open last year and along with her twin sister Kristyna, the 18-year-old is highly touted for a strong showing in the senior ranks. Pliskova's big groundstrokes are very suited to make an impression in the senior ranks and the big-serving Czech already has a top-100 scalp to her name, after defeating Kaia Kanepi (No.55) on home-soil in Prague in 2008.

Kristyna Pliskova

UNLIKE her twin-sister, Kristyna is a left-handed exponent like her idol Goran Ivanisevic and she followed in the footsteps of her sister by taking the plaudits on the junior circuit, most notably with a junior Grand Slam title on the grass-courts at Wimbledon last year, where she defeated Yulia Putintseva, Sloane Stephens and Sachie Ishizu en route to the title.