Hana says yes, Papa says no
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from January 1988.
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Mandlikova, 25, who now lives in Sydney with her Czech-born Australian restaurateur husband Jan Sedlak, told reporters in Brisbane that her 10-year career representing Czechoslovakia was over. "I will not play for Czechoslovakia again. I only want to be Australian," she said after flying to Brisbane following a citizenship ceremony in Sydney.
"I have done a lot for the Czech Tennis Federation and now I want to do something for Australia," she said.
But her father, Vilem Mandlik, told the Associated Press in a telephone interview that his 25-year-old daughter had signed an agreement with the head of Czechoslovak sports, Antonin Himi, to play for Czechoslovakia at the Olympics in Seoul this year.
"She is sure to play for Czechoslovakia in the Olympics ... What will come afterward is another matter," Mandlik said.
Mandlikova faces a struggle to be eligible to represent her new country in South Korea at the Olympics.
Federation Cup rules, which will be used for the Olympics, specify a three-year delay between representation for alternate nations, but Australian officials could appeal on Mandlikova's behalf.
Mandlikova said she wants to win an Olympic gold medal for her adopted country.
She married Australian Jan Sedlak during the 1986 Federation Cup tournament in Prague.
"I love Australia. I married an Australian and I want to win a gold medal for Australia," she said.
Sporting a "Down Under Australia" shirt, Mandlikova said the citizenship ceremony had been more nerve-wracking for her than a major match.
"I didn't sleep at all last (Thursday) night," she said.
