PARIS – The harmony between Katerina Siniakova and Tomáš Machac is easy to see on the court. They play the Olympic mixed doubles and are constantly smiling. They look at each other in a special way and they convey that in their tennis. “The chemistry is very good!” says Machac.
The Czechs have been a couple since 2020, when they met on the tour and instantly liked each other. They competed in the Tokyo Olympics, but didn’t get to do it together. At Paris 2024 they did reach the mixed doubles draw and debuted with a win against top seeds Laura Siegmund and Alexander Zverev. Japan’s Nishikori and Shibahara are the next hurdle.
They are staying in the Olympic Village with the Czech Republic team, but in separate rooms. “We’re not roommates – we’re professionals! So at least for this week we don’t sleep together,” Machac clarifies. Siniakova laughs.
“Although always after dinner together we say good night… and good morning. That’s important,” says the 23-year-old tennis player.
“Who’s in charge? Who is the boss?” are inevitable questions. Siniakova, 28, is quick to answer: “I’m the boss! On and off the court.”
“Tomas says I give him a lot more pressure than any other partner,” assures the curly blonde-haired tennis player. “But I don’t have a problem with pressure,” replies Machac, one of the iconic players in the resurgence of the extra-short shorts craze on the men’s circuit.
Siniakova is one of the most successful doubles players in recent years. Since 2018 she has won nine Grand Slams and together with Barbora Kejcikova they are in Paris defending the gold they won in Tokyo. In mixed, she still fails to win major titles, sometimes with his boyfriend. “We have played mixed in the Grand Slams, but we didn’t do well. We were saving ourselves for the Olympics,” jokes Siniakova.
The Czech ranked in the top 40 of the ATP singles, whose best doubles result is the semifinals of the last Australian Open, said his partner helps him in his doubles game.
Do they talk tennis off the court?
Not at all. That’s what they try to dodge at all costs. “Genererally we don’t talk about tennis. We don’t do it together, and I don’t do it with other people in other contexts,” Machac says.
Siniakova lets out a flirtatious laugh and adds: “Neither do I, I try to avoid it. Too much tennis!
