Czech Republic captains Josef Cihak and David Skoch are keen to brush off the favourites tag but believe the potential exists for their teams to enjoy twin success this week and top the respective boys’ and girls’ podiums.

The Czechs are highly fancied in both draws as the 32 teams assembled at Club Mega Saray in Antalya prepare for the start of Junior Davis Cup and Junior Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals action.

In fact, both Czech teams here have top seed billing, with the boys beginning their quest for glory against hosts Turkey and the girls opening their campaign with a showdown versus Peru.

Should the Czechs conquer all before them this week, they will become just the fourth nation to win both Junior Davis Cup and Junior Billie Jean King Cup in the same year, and first since the United States in 2014.

While there are many hurdles to overcome before thoughts of lifting silverware can be entertained, the strength of the Czech contingent is clear, with a feeling that they are the team to beat.

“We take Junior Billie Jean King Cup very seriously and everyone within my team is really looking forward to the competition,” Skoch, who was crowned Wimbledon boys’ singles champion in 1992 before enjoying a productive professional career, particularly in doubles, told itftennis.com.

“My players are well-prepared; they have had a good season and I think we are a really strong team. We are the No. 1 seeds, but it doesn’t really matter if you are the first seeds, the fourth seeds or whatever, you have to play 100 per cent and enjoy the matches.

“Even with being the first seeds in both competitions, I don’t think it is expected that we will win both but, if we did, it would be really big for us and for Czech tennis. It would be really big.”

Cihak, who spent eight years as a coach for Czech Republic’s Davis Cup team when the likes of Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek were on national team duty, echoes Skoch’s sentiments as he prepares to take charge of the Czech boys.

“We have a good team and the guys are all different, they are completely different,” Cihak told itftennis.com. “This is a good competition for them and they will come up against some very good players.

“We are the top seeds and I know we have a good team, but other teams are also very good, and we have respect for them and all the other players. However, for Czech tennis, it is very important to have success in junior competition.”

Indeed, Cihak was Czech boys’ team captain the last time they were crowned champions in 2017, which was the nation’s third Junior Davis Cup title and first since 1997.

Incidentally, only three nations – Australia, Spain and France – have won more and as they bid to equal France’s tally of four, the on-court baton passes Vojtech Petr, Jakub Mensik and Jan Hrazdil.

It would appear a formidable trio. Petr, for instance, has made inroads at Junior Grand Slam level this season, advancing to the third round at the Junior Championships at Wimbledon

Mensik, who is ranked No. 38 in the boys’ rankings, has done likewise and reached the third round of the US Open Junior Tennis Championships earlier this month.

This followed a run to the final at JA Milan in July, which would have represented the most significant title-win of his career, having previously won two Grade 3 events in Istanbul in 2020. Hrazdil, meanwhile, has chalked up three doubles titles in 2021.

The Czech girls have Nikola Bartunkova in their ranks, who earlier this year became the first player born in 2006 to earn a WTA ranking. She has continued her progression since and, like Mensik, reached the final in Milan.

She is joined by Sara Bejlek and 14-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova, who is fresh from winning her third title of the season at J1 Charleroi-Marcinelle last week.

Bartunkova and Fruhvirtova were members of the victorious Czech team at the 2019 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in Prostejov, while Petr and Mensik were part of the boys’ team that reached the semi-finals there before succumbing to France.

Their skills will now be tested in the 16-and-under age category, and their continued exposure to team competition is viewed as a major plank in their development, which, according to their captains, should not be overstated.

“I love team competitions,” said Cihak. “For many years I was coach for the Davis Cup team and I was also working for the Czech Tennis Federation the last time we won Junior Davis Cup.

“I like this competition and it is important for young players to enjoy this atmosphere and come up against the best players in this age group.

“It is important as normally you play alone and play just for yourself. In team competition, it is important to stay in the group and be with the other guys, cooperate and enjoy success together. It is also important to enjoy the time together as a team.”

With the Finals of the inaugural Billie Jean King Cup being staged in Prague in November, it would be somewhat compelling if the first winners of the rebranded Junior Billie Jean King Cup were the Czechs. Such is the strength of their girls’ team, Skoch has the odd conundrum to solve.

“We have three very, very strong players who are all really equal,” he said. “I will mix them, for sure. Everyone in my team will play some singles matches and we will see who will be on court each day.

“We are excited. My players love the team environment and everybody loves this competition. This is good preparation for future Billie Jean King Cup matches for these players and we will fight 100 per cent.”

Wherever you turn, there is inspiration for emerging Czech players, particularly on the women’s side. In the last few months, Barbora Krejcikova has emerged, winning her maiden Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros in June, while she also partnered Katerina Siniakova to doubles victory on the clay courts of Paris.

The duo followed that with Olympic doubles gold at Tokyo 2020, while in 2015 Marketa Vondrousova was a key member of the Czech’s victorious Junior Billie Jean King Cup team and is now an Olympic silver medallist.

“Our young girls are supported very much by many Czech women and players who are really good,” added Skoch. “More so than anything else, my players just want to go in the right direction like they did.”

For all the players about to take to the court here in Antalya, it is perhaps worth nothing that in the last five editions of the tournament alone, the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Coco Gauff, Denis Shapovalov and Iga Swiatek have all helped their nations to glory. In short, it is quite an impressive back catalogue of winners.