Posted 7 May, 2009
Thanks Mcdonald! Now I'm back again with mighty McD. I know you always welcomed me. However I've come here for just accessing the net and what I ordered here was just a cup of orange juice! But you never chaced me away, on the contrary you treated me so nice. I appreciate your it, apprecdiate it. I think I'm gonna order some hot apple pie after posting this.
Well, let's get into today's topic.Perhaps you all remember the interview our Hana had in Czech in 2005. I uploaded it to Youtube and I received a few letters of big 'thanks.' But unfortunately that interview was proceeded all in Czech, so that non Czech speaker like us totally at a loss what Hana said or laughed at in the interview. We just felt the atmosphere of the interview was good, and Hana was far and away hilarious and also in good condition.
But today I can show you the detail of this whole interview. There was this finest person in Czech called Daniel translated it into Enlish for me. God! Can you believe this? He sent me an e-mail and said that he really liked my Hana Blog that he wanted to help me understand the whole interview. I can't stop but thank Daniel. Oh, thank you so much, Daniel. You did so good to me! I'm so happy that we can show the interview in English to every Hana fans all over the world.
As far as I can remember, Hana never done this kind of TV show style interview in America, maybe she doesn't like to show up in media there, 'cos she doesn't really trust them. She accepted an interview, 'cos it was held in Czech, I think. And she talked so many things with so honest mind to Czech people there.God, thank you so much, Hana and all Czech people who're warmheartedly welcoming and applauding her.
All right, here we go!
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Talk show host : Jan Kraus (J.K)
-Very popular Czech actor and talk show host, his show airs every friday and its hugely popular in Czech republic.
Guest
Hana Mandlikova (H.M)
Janek Ledecky (J.L) : Popular Czech pop singer.
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J.K : Mrs. Hana Mandlikova!
(Applause)
J.K : Good evening.
H.M : Good evening.
J.K : How are you?
H.M : Fine. You are lucky that I am not wearing pajamas.
J.K: I am lucky, I know. It was a big rush, wasn’t it?.
H.M : Yes, it was.
J.K : The thing was if your children fall asleep or not.
H.M : They are sleeping.
J.K : Yeah, you always put them in bed, right?
H.M : Well, I lie beside them.
J.K : You know that your are not supposed to do that, right?
H.M : Why?
J.K : Well, because you will have to lie beside them until they are 15.
Well, it is said “until children get used to it.”
They can’t fall asleep without it.
H.M : So you have some experience?
J.K : I have 4 sons.
H.M : Well, then yes.
J.K : But I didn’t sleep beside one of them, because I discovered him in 30.
I mean when he was 30. So we sleep together now. (laugh)
Well, somebody told me that I’m not supposed to do it when I was reading those books about how to raise children.
But maybe in America, it’s different.
Maybe children there are treated in a different way.
H.M : Please don’t start this matter. That’s what I hear from my parents everyday.
J.K : Really? And what do parents tell you?
H.M : They are the most rotten children as far as they know. Criticism over and over.
J.K : They are twins, aren’t they?
H.M : Yes, twins. Girl and boy.
J.K : Your parents would be more strict with them?
H.M : No.
J.K : Really? You were very self-dependent when you were in former Czechoslovakia.
Your best ranking was No.3 in the world.
H.M : Yes, No.3.
J.K : You won except Wimbledon...
H.M : Oh, You have wrong information.
J.K : EXCEPT Wimbledon, I said.
H.M : Oh, you said “except”...
J.K : Well, I have good information, don’t I?
You heard me wrong because you rushed here from the children.
H.M : Yeah, you are right, except Wimbledon.
J.K : Well I don’t have so much information, but I remember you, I admired you very much.
H.M : And I admired you, too.
J.K : You admired me?
H.M : I knew you definitely.
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J.K : Really? But I played tennis only a little. (laugh)
I played tennis same style like you. Serve and volley.
Right after serving, I rush to the net...
And they always gave me passing shot. (laugh)
Yeah, but I liked your style, also your life style.
Tell me, you were very young when you got outside to the big world.
H.M : Yes, I was 15.
J.K : How was it to get to the big world in communist era.
Was it big shock for you?
H.M : Certainly it was a big shock, because I was only 15.
And it was my first time abroad. Didn’t speak a word of English.
20 dollars in a pocket and a flight ticket.
If I hadn’t won the first tournament, I had to come back.
J.K : The first one was in Australia?
H.M : No, no it was in Montreal.
J.K : So the first condition was to win the tournament to earn...
H.M : No no. I had the round-trip ticket.
But I had to win for being allowed to stay for the next tournament.
So the pressure was big.
J.K : What was the hardest thing for you to get used to?
Coming out of here to western world.
H.M : I was in terrible homesick, because I was completely a family girl in the beginning...
J.K : Well I was also homesick when I used to visit my auntie.
I missed my parents.
I visited auntie in Liberec and I cried there... so I wanted to come back to Prague.
You were completely alone on these tournaments.
H.M : Yeah, I was alone.
J.K : Without a coach.
H.M : Yeah. I hadn’t had a coach until I started to earn some money,
J.K : Tell me how it was to earn big money in Czechoslovakia those days?
It must have been "fun", right?
H.M : Yeah, that was big "fun".
J.K : Tell me the story.
H.M : No, I don’t want to get back to that, It wasn’t easy, really...
I know you heard these stories many times...
And I think that nowadays it’s much easier for everybody.
That’s why we don’t have good tennis player now.
Everything is too easy now.
J.K : And you think that influenced you?
H.M : Yes, sure. It makes you tougher, you want to reach more.
You want more than just to buy a car or house.
You want to win those Grand Slams.
And that’s what we’re wanting in Czech players today.
J.K : Also Lendl mentioned this.
When he came to America, they asked him, "what do you want?"
He said, "I want to be good." They said "Good? You must be No.1."
H.M : Exactly. The system helped you with this.
Mr. Kraus, are you sweating?
J.K : No, I am not.
H.M : Well, I always watch this show...
So I brought you a towel.
J.K : Wow, very nice of you.
H.M : Wait a minute, wait a minute...
This one is a special one. It’s from Wimbledon.
J.K : Oh, very nice of you!
H.M : Wait a second... I must.... Yes, it’s clean.
It’s washed, smell it.
J.K : Well, if it wasn’t washed, it would be even more special.
H.M : No, no, it smells good.
J.K : Well, I can see the grass...
Well I usually sweat, but... not now.
It’s not hot here today.
You know this..., you also do this on court.
H.M : Yeah...
J.K : Whose towel is it?
H.M : Well, it’s mine.
J.K : Yours? From Wimbledon? Really?
So you used this one in final...
H.M : No, I didn’t use it in final, it was maybe first round that I lost... (laugh)
But it doesn’t really matter, huh?
J.K : Yeah... it doesn’t...
So maybe I should wear it like this...
I will call it Mandlikova. Beautiful!
It will be my family treasure.
One day I'm gonna sell it in auction, huh?
H.M : Well, it’s a little bit old and used, so you better hurry up.
J.K : Well, that’s the value of it.
H.M : You think so?
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J.K : I will tell people, "Look! You should know how much Hana liked it.
She played with it until it’s little bit faded".
So what do you do these days, Hana?
H.M : Hana... you called me Jana.
J.K : No, Hana.
H.M : Okay.
J.K : I am not that desperate.
Yeah, we have some problems in communication.
But with all respect, I would say that so far it’s not my fault.
H.M : I had twins when I was 39, so maybe I turned to children.
J.K : Yeah, but I read somewhere that you like to go to your office.
H.M : Well, yes, when I have time. I like to go to my office to use computer.
J.K : Yeah? I am a fan of computers too.
He’s a bit behind with this matter.
He still has internet connection over the phone modem, "too too"
J.L : I didn’t expect laughter for this.
(J.L : Janek Ledecky, the famous singer in Czech, had a interview previously with J.K in the studio.)
J.K : You are in Prague, not in some redneck city.
Janek also has kids, he even teaches them himself.
You send them to school?
H.M : Yes, they are attending British International School here in Prague.
I want them to stay in English school, so they won’t forget English.
And besides that, they also have Czech language compulsory starting next year.
J.K : Janek can teach them in the worst case.
You wouldn’t like it?
H.M : He is a teacher, right?
J.K : No he’s not, but he teaches his kids.
H.M : They don’t go to school?
J.K : No, they don’t.
H.M : Oh, its called homeschooling.
J.K : Well, but nobody knows it and maybe it’s even illegal.
Only God knows how it works, I make it public here to save those children.
J.K : Also you were a coach of Jana Novotna for almost 10 years, right?
She did win Wimbledon.
H.M : Yeah, she did. With a little bit of my help, not that I won it, but I perhaps helped it.
J.K : Do you think that a coach is a key person for winning?
H.M : I don’t think it’s a key person, but you can help a lot.
But still, there wouldn’t be anyone who can help you in the court, you’re the only one who’s got to be fight alone in the court.
J.K : So maybe you would coach someone here in Czech republic?
H.M : It’s possible, if there is any chance...
All my life I focused on myself, then on Jana, now I would like to raise my children.
I would like to have power and patience for them.
J.K : But I read somewhere that you didn’t breastfeed them for long period, right?
H.M : Great question! Good bye.
J.K : It’s not a question, I said that I read it somewhere.
H.M : No, no. You didn’t read it. The producer told you to say so.
I’m sure you didn’t read. It wasn’t written anywhere.
J.K : But I have it written.
H.M : Yeah right, from the producer.
J.K : It’s just a question, nothing wrong with that.
H.M : Well, would you breastfeed twins?
J.K : Me? You are right, its either one or the other.
Not to cheat on one of them, right?
H.M : Exactly.
J.K : I didn’t think about it this way.
H.M. Well I breastfed them for a week, but then...
You can't sleep, every three hours you spend one hour with each one...
J.K : Yeah, that’s right, I didn’t think about it.
I didn’t have twins yet…
Or they didn’t call...so far.
H.M : So you think over having twins?
J.K : They didn’t get call yet. I sometimes get call like this.
What was Czech tennis audience like when you played tennis here?
H.M : If you remember 1986, Fed cup in Prague, remember?
Navratilova attended.
J.K : It wasn’t announced, but everybody knew it.
H.M : Right, well when I used to play here... however I didn’t play here much either, I was a little bit disappointed...with the audience...
I understood that now but…
She defected here and showed people in the world also in Czechoslovakia that she didn’t support communism, that she’s supporting western-oriented-idea, so that she made it herself.
But I didn’t live here either, so my feelings were, that they are totally on Martina's side.
But I understood it later when I got older, that it wasn’t against me, it was against the system. But at that moment, on the court, it hurt.
J.K : So if you move back here to Czech republic, would it be permanent stay?
I’m interested in this.
Such a successful person, coming back, it feels good.
H.M : I've thought about it, yes or no?
J.K : I can give you advice. What is the problem?
H.M : There’s no problem.
I just don’t know if it’s a good or bad choice.
J.K : I give you good an advice, okay?
It’s a good choice.
H.M : Why?
J.K : Because we need people like you here.
H.M : Great, but what about me?
J.K : What about you?
H.M : Do “I” need these people here?
J.K : Maybe it’s gonna be a small sacrifice for you.
You must help the country to get back on feet.
H.M : I like helping...
J.K : Where else in the world they need you more?
H.M : How can you know that I am needed here?
J.K : Well, I am sure about it!
Hana Mandlikova!
(Applause)
~Fine
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