It might be time to start talking about Brenda Fruhvirtova.

At just 13 years old, the Czech prodigy showed a glimpse of her significant potential over the weekend when she went toe-to-toe with tour regular Alize Cornet during Patrick Mouratoglou’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown 2, highlighting just why she’s being touted as a star of the future.

Fruhvirtova, one of four players involved in Mouratoglou’s UTS2 along with Cornet, eventual winner Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, gave the Frenchwoman, 17-years her senior, plenty to think about in their contest before ultimately succumbing to the former world No. 11.

“Mentally this match was hard,” admitted Cornet. “I’m happy that the oldest one won today. [Brenda] definitely plays really amazing for a 13-year-old player. She has a bright future ahead, that’s for sure. I can’t wait to see her in three, four, five years. She’s going to be amazing.”

Fruhvirtova first made her mark on the international tennis scene last August, when, then aged 12, she and elder sister Linda helped Czech Republic to their fourth ITF World Junior Tennis title in Prostejov.

Much of Czech Republic’s success last summer was down to Brenda, who did not drop a set and boasted a 100 per cent record from the 10 matches she contested during the week, all of which inevitably came against older competitors in the 14 and under tournament.

“When I started to play tennis I always played against players who were older than me, so this is normal,” she said, matter-of-factly, at the time.

A quick-footed and accomplished baseliner, Brenda already has a steely focus, honed, no doubt, from growing up on a tennis court with sister Linda, 15, an equally exciting prospect who moved to a career-high WTA ranking of No. 809 before rankings were frozen in March.

“They had some intense battles growing up,” the girls’ father, Hyenk, remembers. “The younger one always wants to beat the older one, who never wants to lose.
“They compete against each on court only and when they walk off court it is a different story. They motivate each other and are both really supportive of each other.”

Whether playing in singles or as a pairing, the list of people backing the Fruhvirtova sisters to make a serious impact upon the game is growing rapidly.

“I have known the sisters since a very early age and they are two totally different players with different styles,” said the captain of the Czech World Junior Tennis Team, Tomas Josefus.

“Linda is very good from the baseline and hits the ball hard. She is like a Pit Bull from the baseline. Brenda is a different player, very good from the baseline also, but doesn’t have the Pit Bull-style of Linda.

“Two years ago, I watched some of Cori Gauff’s matches at the ITF World Junior Tennis Finals. I expected Cori would become a very good player and I predict a similar outcome for Linda.

“It is the goal of both sisters to play professional tennis and I believe they will. If they stay healthy then, for sure, I believe they will play professionally.”

Maureen Diaz, captain of the USA girls team and Josefus’s opposite number in last year’s final, was also on hand to witness the Fruhvirtova masterclass.

“I saw Linda here in 2017 when she was only 12 but you could see the potential in her,” said Diaz. “I have seen Brenda a few times too and they both have great tennis IQ, move well and have good experience through playing a lot of tournaments.

“They seem to know the game well and have a good support network: they have a great chance of making it professionally. A lot of kids [playing World Junior Tennis] have a chance of making it.

“It’s up to Linda and Brenda how big they can become.”