DUBAI // For Andrea Gorcova and Martina Turnerova a life-long dream came true when they entered the record books as the first team from the Slovak Republic to enter the main draw of a Swatch FIVB World Tour. The veteran duo cruised to a comfortable 21-10, 21-10 win over the young Kazakhstan pair of Marina Pilipenko and Bakhtygul Samalikova to set up a main draw clash with the Athens and Beijing Olympic gold medallist Kerri Walsh and her new partner Nicole Branagh.
"Finally," Turnerova said. "We have been waiting for this for all our career. I am 33 and Andrea is 30 - so it is about time." Playing on the circuit has been a struggle for Gorcova and Turnerova, without any financial support from their association or sponsors. Not being able to reach the main draw also meant no share of the prize money. With no way out, the Bartislava-based Turnerova was forced to turn to the Prime Minister Robert Fico. "I told him he needs to give some money for beach volleyball," she said. "He kindly agreed and that is how we have been able to go to three events this season."
Having entered the main draw, Turnerova and Gorcova will earn the first pay cheque of their beach volleyball career. But their prospects of going beyond Walsh and Branagh look daunting. The Slovaks are just 5ft 8in and among the shorter ladies on the circuit, but Turnerova is confident they can give a good account. "We have reached here after a long time," she said. "We want to have a good game and go as far as we can. We know we are not the tallest out there, but we are very fast - and we have got everything else."
The Slovaks indeed proved that their height was not a disadvantage as they mesmerised Pilipenko, 19, who is 6ft 3in, and Samalikova, 15, who is 5ft 10in. They won nine points on the trot in the first game to take an 11-2 lead and there was no stopping them thereafter. "They are very young and we have the experience," said Turnerova. "So we used to our advantage. Hopefully, we can do the same in the next game."
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