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Talking tennis
- Updated: July 23, 2016
MONTREAL – Tomas Plekanec caught the tennis bug long before making North America his hockey home.
He actually picked up the game as a youngster in the Czech Republic after watching some of his country’s tennis heroes make a name for themselves on the international stage.
Now 33, the Canadiens’ centerman has fond memories of time spent rallying with his friends for hours and hours on end on clay courts around the Kladno area.
“I started playing when I was nine or 10 years old. I played a lot. Sometimes, I’d spend mornings and afternoons out there playing and having fun. Back then, there weren’t any computers or any other distractions to keep you from playing sports outside. There were just plenty of courts to play on in my hometown all around the city. We also played when I was still in the Czech League as part of our training sessions,” recalled Plekanec, who enjoyed watching the likes of countrymen Petr Korda and Karel Novacek strut their stuff against some of the other top players in the world.
“Basically, I just watched tennis on TV and I liked it from the start. Guys like Korda and Novacek played so well back in the day. I never took lessons, so I tried to learn the game by myself. I’d watch matches, and then go out and try to play. I wasn’t really big on technique as a kid, but I can play. I’m not saying I do everything right, though,” added Plekanec with a laugh, who was a big fan of the Davis Cup event growing up, a title the Czechs have claimed on three occasions, most recently in 2013.
These days, Plekanec generally restricts his tennis playing to the summer months. He hits the hard court once or twice a week after his on and off-ice workouts at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. It’s a routine the 11-year NHL veteran has stuck to for years during the offseason, noting that it has played an important part in keeping him sharp over the years.
“It helps, big time. Besides the cardio side of it, there’s a …
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