Dalibor Svrcina, fighter with a racket and deep into Hinduism and Buddhism books, marks his tennis territory

Staying true to his name, which means “fighting far away,” Dalibor Svrcina battled hard and eventually defeated local wildcard Mukund Sasikumar 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-4 to make it to the semifinals of the Chennai Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event, roughly 7000 kilometres away from his hometown in Czechia, on Friday.

Svrcina had just played his third three-setter in as many rounds but this one was the longest at two hours 54 minutes and in some of the most difficult conditions despite the match beginning around 5pm local time. “It was one of the toughest matches because I was sweating like crazy. It’s very humid here. I was sweating throughout the first set. I had to go and change after the first set which lasted one-and-a-half hours, which maybe was the longest set that I ever played,” said Svrcina, moments after a cool down run around the outside courts at the SDAT Stadium in Nungambakkam.

In tennis terms, at 5’10”, Svrcina is not one of the tallest guys and neither does he have a big serve to gain free points. However, what he lacks in reach, he makes up for it with his quick court coverage and counterpunching ability, reminiscent of former World No. 8 Diego Schwartzman. The Argentine is three inches shorter though!

Progress from junior to senior circuit and the financial independence

Svrcina’s parents are doctors. He has two elder siblings – a sister and a brother – who are in their mid 30s. “I was always very active as a child. My parents wanted me to do some sport. My siblings and my parents did sports but never professionally. So, they put me to play football first and then, I started playing tennis at the age of 6,” he said.

“I chose tennis. I was very happy playing tennis when I was 9-11 years old. I spent a lot of time on the court playing and I started doing well. So, I stayed with it.”

At 14, Svrcina was a member of the squad that led Czechia to its first Junior Davis Cup title after 20 years in 2017. A year later, he was ranked amongst the world’s Top 10 boys. In 2019, partnering compatriot Jonas Forejtek, he won the boys’ doubles crown at the Junior Australian Open.

He shifted to the senior circuit soon but had to wait for his major breakthrough which came in 2021 when he clinched his maiden title on the Challenger Tour as a wildcard in Prague. That propelled him into the Top 400 in the ATP Rankings. A runner-up finish at the same event next year helped him make his Top 200 debut.

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In 2023, Svrcina qualified for the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time at the Australian Open and defeated the then World No. 64 Jaume Munar of Spain in the opening round.

FILE PHOTO: Dalibor Svrcina celebrates after winning a point in Chennai Open 2024.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Being ranked high enough to make the cut for the qualifying rounds of the Majors since 2022 Roland Garros has somewhat helped Svrcina take care of the finances, something which a sponsor covered till the age of 18. “I’m paying for everything myself. When you make it at least to the qualifying grand Slams, it’s a big help. Of course, I cannot travel with three-four people but I try to have my coach with me and it’s already quite difficult to pay for all the flights and all the meals at the hotel,” said the 21-year-old.

Admiration for Nadal, Appreciation for Djokovic

Svrcina mentioned that he admires Rafael Nadal but with time, has started to look up to Novak Djokovic. “As I’m growing older, I have started to appreciate Djokovic much more. All the players and the people in the world can learn from him because he’s very open minded. In the interviews, he talks very openly even about his private life and what he is doing off the court. I resonate with him very well,” said World No. 186 about the top-ranked player in men’s tennis.

Off court

When he is not playing tennis, Svrcina likes to spend his time reading books. His brother, who is studying philosophy in Prague, advised him to develop this habit when he was 18. “I read a lot of books from Hinduism and Buddhism. I also started thinking a little bit differently and I’m very glad about that. I have a different view on life. I know that even though I am very much into tennis, it’s not the most important thing in life,” he said.