Czech tennis player Jakub Macháč is returning to his former club,TK Sparta Praha,starting January 1st,seeking a stable training base as he navigates a recovery from a challenging 2025 season marked by injury and inconsistency. The 25-year-old, who previously won the Czech Extraliga with Sparta in 2020, is also incorporating mental training with a sports psychologist as he prepares for the upcoming competitive season and aims to build on a career-high ranking of 20th. Macháč is currently adjusting his Davis Cup participation plans in agreement with captain Tomáš Berdych to prioritize his health and planning for the Australian Open.
After five years, Jakub Macháč is returning to TK Sparta Praha. “I won the Czech Extraliga with Sparta in 2020 and will be transferring back starting January 1st. I’m happy we were able to come to an agreement again. When I’m in the Czech Republic, I prepare specifically at Sparta, and that will be my main base,” said the 25-year-old player, who has also begun working with a sports psychologist.
“She’s really good. I’m learning new techniques, like breathing exercises, which I didn’t really believe in before, but now I’m convinced they can help me. I don’t have any psychological problems, but tennis is about extreme details. As Novak Djokovic also says: Mental work is needed every day,” said the player coached by Daniel Vacek.
Macháč started the 2025 season strongly, capturing his first ATP title at the Acapulco 500 event in early March. However, he didn’t replicate that success for the remainder of the year, reaching only the fourth round of the US Open. “It was a tough year, with ups and downs. There were injuries, some mental struggles…” A recurring health issue unfortunately played a key role.
“My knee was problematic from Tokyo and Shanghai (late September and October), it kept coming back and wasn’t 100 percent. I had to play with tape just to finish some matches. I had a finding, so I had to take time off, which disrupted my preparation. But now I’m healthy and I’ll be extremely happy if it stays that way,” Macháč explained, adding that he has had to withdraw from several matches due to cramping.
“There are many reasons why cramps can occur. It’s not just one thing I had to solve, there were several factors. It could be related to my serve technique, where I push off more with my left leg, which takes more of a beating. And in long matches and difficult conditions, that weakness shows. Then there’s hydration, I played some matches after being sick, so I wasn’t fully fit. These are things that still need to be adjusted and put together like a puzzle. But I think it’s on the right track now,” said the Czech player, currently ranked third in his country.
With important ranking points to defend at the start of the season, Macháč has agreed with Davis Cup captain Tomáš Berdych that he will not be included in the initial nomination for the first round against Sweden, which will be played February 7th and 8th at the Horácká aréna in Jihlava.
“Tomáš understands my situation. If things don’t go well in Australia, I’ll have a chance to compete in the Montpellier tournament, which is played against the Davis Cup schedule, to potentially earn some points,” Macháč described.
“But if I do well in Australia and am happy with my performance, I’ll be ready if Tomáš wants to add me to the team. I’m glad the captain took that approach. It was a difficult decision because I’ve played Davis Cup at home before and it was a great experience. I regret it, but I’ve learned that in this sport, I can’t always have everything. The best-case scenario would be to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open and then see each other in Jihlava. It’s in my hands,” Macháč said with a smile.
However, Macháč’s top priority will be his health. “I don’t want to deal with aches and pains. I’ll also try to recover more. This year, I overloaded my schedule, so there was quantity, but no longer quality. I have an underlying stressor that I’ll lose a lot of points, but that’s not a priority for me now. If I focus on my tennis, I have the potential to stay in the twenties or even attack the top ten,” believes Macháč, who has been ranked as high as 20th in the world.
Jakub Macháč is heading back to familiar territory, rejoining TK Sparta Praha after a five-year absence. The 25-year-old announced he’ll officially return to the club starting January 1st, a move he hopes will provide a stable base for his training as he prepares for the upcoming season.
“I won the Czech Extraliga with Sparta in 2020 and I’m happy we were able to come to an agreement again,” Macháč said. “When I’m in the Czech Republic, I prepare specifically at Sparta, and that will be my main base.”
The talented Czech player is also taking a proactive approach to his mental game, beginning work with a sports psychologist. “She’s really good. I’m learning new techniques, like breathing exercises, which I didn’t really believe in before, but now I’m convinced they can help me,” he explained. “I don’t have any psychological problems, but tennis is about extreme details. As Novak Djokovic also says: Mental work is needed every day.”
Macháč enjoyed a breakthrough start to 2025, claiming his first ATP title at the Acapulco 500 event in March. However, the rest of the season proved challenging, with injuries and inconsistency hindering his progress. He reached the fourth round of the US Open, but struggled to replicate that success elsewhere.
“It was a tough year, with ups and downs. There were injuries, some mental struggles…” Macháč admitted. A recurring knee issue proved particularly troublesome, forcing him to compete while managing pain. “My knee was problematic from Tokyo and Shanghai, it kept coming back and wasn’t 100 percent. I had to play with tape just to finish some matches. I had a finding, so I had to take time off, which disrupted my preparation. But now I’m healthy and I’ll be extremely happy if it stays that way.”
Adding to his challenges, Macháč battled persistent cramping during matches. “There are many reasons why cramps can occur. It’s not just one thing I had to solve, there were several factors. It could be related to my serve technique, where I push off more with my left leg, which takes more of a beating. And in long matches and difficult conditions, that weakness shows. Then there’s hydration, I played some matches after being sick, so I wasn’t fully fit. These are things that still need to be adjusted and put together like a puzzle. But I think it’s on the right track now.”
Looking ahead, Macháč has discussed his situation with Davis Cup captain Tomáš Berdych and will not be included in the initial Czech team nomination for the February 7th and 8th clash against Sweden in Jihlava. He’ll instead focus on gaining match fitness and potentially defending ranking points at the Montpellier tournament.
“Tomáš understands my situation. If things don’t go well in Australia, I’ll have a chance to compete in the Montpellier tournament, which is played against the Davis Cup schedule, to potentially earn some points,” Macháč said. “But if I do well in Australia and am happy with my performance, I’ll be ready if Tomáš wants to add me to the team. I’m glad the captain took that approach.”
Despite the potential for Davis Cup action, Macháč emphasized that his primary focus is on regaining full health and consistency. “I don’t want to deal with aches and pains. I’ll also try to recover more. This year, I overloaded my schedule, so there was quantity, but no longer quality. I have an underlying stressor that I’ll lose a lot of points, but that’s not a priority for me now. If I focus on my tennis, I have the potential to stay in the twenties or even attack the top ten,” said Macháč, who has previously reached a career-high ranking of 20th.
