After a season of firsts and career-best accolades, rising star Lucie Havlickova has followed in the footsteps of some illustrious Czech players by being crowned an ITF World Champion in the junior category.

Having endured an indifferent start to the campaign, the 17-year-old has enjoyed a season to remember and claimed her maiden Junior Grand Slam singles title after topping the girls’ podium at Roland Garros in June.

Havlickova also conquered all before her in the doubles in Paris after teaming up with fellow Czech Sara Bejlek, someone who has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign of her own in professional tennis.

By this stage, Havlickova had already lifted silverware at successive Grade A tournaments – the highest classification of event on the ITF World Tennis Tour – after winning the singles at Criciuma and doubles at Offenbach.

The teenager was close to adding a second Junior Grand Slam singles crown to her trophy haul after reaching the US Open Junior Championships girls’ final in September, only to succumb to Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

However, a second Junior Grand Slam doubles title – taking her season’s trophy tally to five – was forthcoming at Flushing Meadows as she and Diana Shnaider conquered all before them in stunning and clinical style.

Incidentally, had she lifted singles silverware in New York, Havlickova would have become the first girl to secure two Junior Grand Slam titles – and indeed back-to-back crowns – in the same year since Belinda Bencic in 2013.

Havlickova was to emulate the Swiss, however, after finishing 2022 as the year-end junior world No. 1 in the girls’ rankings, securing herself the status of ITF World Champion – somthing Bencic achieved nine years ago. 

“It feels really amazing to be a year-end junior world No. 1 and ITF World Champion – I’m very happy about it,” Havlickova, who ended 2021 ranked No. 48 in the girls’ standings, told itftennis.com.

“Sadly, I haven’t played any tournaments as the junior world No. 1, but it will give me confidence and many opportunities next year in my women’s career, which I want to focus on. It’s super great.”

Victory at Criciuma, which was secured after navigating qualifying, proved a breakthrough moment for Havlickova, who lost just four of the 42 junior matches she contested across both singles and doubles for the remainder of the season.

“This season is definitely my best season yet,” said Havlickova. “At the beginning of the year, I was struggling and I couldn´t find my game for quite a long time. But then I won the Grade A tournament in Criciuma, which started everything.

“Then the highlight of the year came when I won at Roland Garros in singles and in doubles as well. Overall, I achieved everything I wanted and more in this season.”

The conveyor belt of Czech talent to have progressed to the very highest level of the game in recent years is well-documented, yet Havlickova is only the second ITF World Champion in the junior girls’ category this century.

Barbora Strycova was the last Czech girl to be crowned an ITF World Champion in 2002, although the list of the nation's previous winners – across all categories – is distinguished. It includes Hana Mandlikova, Barbora Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova, Petra Kvitova and Ivan Lendl.

“This is, of course, a big motivation and some sign that we are doing a great job with my team,” added Havlickova. “The inspiration for Czech tennis players is huge as we have so many awesome tennis players at the moment. I hope to join them someday.”

Havlickova has already alluded to focusing more on women’s tournaments and the ITF World Tennis Tour – the main artery to the ATP and WTA Tours – next season as she continues to progress along the ITF player pathway.

That will not be a new environment for the aspiring teenager having made her ITF World Tennis Tour debut in December 2019 aged just 14, although 2022 was a season in which she made significant strides.

Havlickova ended her ITF World Tennis Tour campaign by reaching her maiden final at W25 Trnava, where she lost to Vera Lapko, a matter of weeks after contesting a semi-final at W60 Trnava.

“My aspirations for 2023 are to focus on women’s tennis and climb as high as possible in the rankings,” she said. “With my team, we hope that I’m going to play Grand Slam qualifying this year and get into main draws.”

It may well be worth keeping a close eye on Havlickova in 2023.