Jan Kukal (born 13 September 1942) is a former professional tennis player who competed for Czechoslovakia.

Jan Kukal
Jan Kukal in 2013
Country (sports)Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
ResidenceOstrava
Born (1942-09-13) 13 September 1942 (age 81)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record32–54
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 115 (23 Aug 1973)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open2R (1970, 1976)
French Open3R (1969)
Wimbledon2R (1969, 1970, 1972)
US Open2R (1972)
Doubles
Career record46–46
Career titles1
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (1970)
French OpenSF (1972)
WimbledonQF (1973)
US Open3R (1969)

Career edit

Kukal won the Czechoslovakian National Championships in 1968, the same year that he played his first Davis Cup tie for his country. He went on to appear in a total of 16 Davis Cup ties and finished with a 13-11 career record, which included five singles wins.[1] In 1969 he was a member of the Czechoslovak team that won Europe's King's Cup.[2]

He reached four Grand Prix/WCT doubles finals during his career, for one win, at Des Moines in 1973.[2]

At Grand Slam level his best performance was a semi-final appearance in the doubles event at the 1972 French Open, with Jan Kodeš.[3]

Coaching edit

Kukal began his coaching career while he was still playing. In 1972 he was coach of the Romania Davis Cup team and he coached the Dutch team the following year. From 1981 to 1983, he coached Czechoslovakia in the Davis Cup. During that time he was also Czechoslovak Fed Cup captain and led them to the 1983 Federation Cup title. He then coached the Austria Davis Cup team, from 1984 to 1990, and captained the Czech Republic Davis Cup team from 1999 until 2003.

Grand Prix/WCT career finals edit

Doubles: 4 (1–3) edit

Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 0–1 Aug 1972 Montreal, Canada Clay   Jan Kodeš   Ilie Năstase
  Ion Țiriac
6–7, 3–6
Loss 0–2 Apr 1971 Catania, Italy Clay   Jan Kodeš   Pierre Barthès
  François Jauffret
4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 1–2 Feb 1973 Des Moines, United States Hard   Jiří Hřebec   Juan Gisbert
  Ion Țiriac
4–6, 7–6, 6–1
Loss 1–3 Feb 1973 Salt Lake City, United States Hard   Jiří Hřebec   Mike Estep
  Raúl Ramírez
4–6, 6–7

References edit