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Vaidisova lost her bid to return to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open last week, falling to defending champion Serena Williams 6-3 6-4.

Q: How would you describe the period of time Nicole has been going through now in her career? She has not won any tournament in last two years.

Kodat: She takes part in the toughest tournaments. Grand Slams, Tier I and Tier II tournaments. It makes no difference that she has not won a tournament for some time. It is more important for her to reach 100 percent of her performance. There is no sense in speaking about figures now. It is necessary to make the work with maximum effort, about as possible as it can be. What that will bring, we will see.

Q: At what percent has Nicole developed her potential, then?

Kodat: I will say 75 percent. She is capable of playing better in some aspects. She has to have a better movement and make fewer mistakes.

Q: Movement, that is the attribute she used to be better at in the past.

Kodat: On the other hand, she is now better in reading the game. That gets improved with increasing age and number of games played. But yes, unambiguously I am aware that she moved better in Paris or Wimbledon last year.

Q: It is clear to see that Nicole has put on weight. That must limit her.

Kodat: It is definitely the reason for how she moves nowadays. She has reserves in it, I agree.

Q: When you remind her about this issue, how she reacts?

Kodat: I remind her such things but she has her fitness coach so that is more his job.

Q: Tell me, how different is it to direct a young girl when 16 years old and now when she is more of an adult.

Kodat: It is natural that a girl of this age wants to have her way, to have her own opinions on certain things. And I can understand that. Earlier I used to give orders, nowadays I rather give my recommendations and leave it to her to decide what is useful and what is not so that she can try out if it works or not.

Q: So you feel that she puts up with you less?

Kodat: (sighs) I don't think so. She just wants to put through her opinion, although it is not a good one in my opinion and considering my experience. I have a heart for it, I told it to Nicole as well. At her age a human behaves simply against everything.

Q: Revolts.

Kodat: Yes. Although in the extreme conditions of the professional tennis world he or she should not afford that. As I say, in 90 percent of cases I am just recommending her what she should do and am trying to convince her that it works.

Q: This is a very important year for Nicole. Aren't you afraid that her career can take a wrong course?

Kodat: Already in the last year we were saying this would be an important year and she was not so mature to achieve great results. And we are again at results... I will tell you this: I am convinced that Nicole just needs to work at 100 percent and show a fair amount of work. I cannot imagine that she could be going downwards in the rankings if she went according to my training plan.

Q: Nicole is in love with another tennis player Radek Stepanek. First loves are part of growing process, aren't you afraid that it could make her no good?

Kodat: She creates her private life. If there is anything she wants to know or she has any problems, I am willing to recommend her some things. I wish her to be happy because then you can work well. If she is unhappy in her private life, then it will affect her on the courts. I wish her only to be happy.

Vasek Kadlec translated from Sport / Eurosport