PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The final match of Lucie Safarova's career in front of her home fans did not quite go to plan as, alongside Barbora Stefkova, she missed two match points to fall 6-4, 4-6, [13-11] to Makoto Ninomiya and Yana Sizikova in the first round of the J&T Banka Prague Open - but the beloved Czech veteran isn't quite done with her career yet.
"I'll probably play Paris," Safarova announced to the press afterwards. Roland Garros is a tournament that holds fond memories for the 32-year-old: she is a two-time champion in doubles there, having lifted the trophy in 2015 and 2017 alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and she also reached her sole Grand Slam final in singles in the French capital, losing in three sets to Serena Williams in 2015.
Read more: Safarova to bid farewell in Prague
Safarova had originally intended to retire at the Australian Open, but wrist tendinitis prevented her from competing and prompted an extension of her career until Prague. A former World No.1 in doubles, she has 15 WTA titles to her credit in that discipline, including five Grand Slam titles in women's doubles alongside long-time doubles partner Mattek-Sands - and her farewell tour has already garnered a run to the Stuttgart final last week in tandem with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The left-hander is also a former World No.5 in singles, winning seven WTA singles titles in her career - with the last coming in Prague in 2016, and has been an integral member of her country's Fed Cup squad, contributing towards each of the Czech Republic's five titles between 2011 and 2018.
