David Kotyza: Karolina Pliskova still has a lot of untapped potential

Karolina Pliskova still has a lot of untapped potential, her new coach, David Kotyza, believes.

Kotyza, who was the longtime coach of Petra Kvitova, began working with Pliskova in the offseason. The job was tempting because the 24-year-old Czech is "an interesting person and I feel she can really be a champion," Kotyza told the WTA website.

Having stopped working with Kvitova following the Australian Open a year ago, he had been coaching Caroline Wozniacki before decided to stay home with his family.

Then Pliskova called.

"I had a full-time job at home,” he said. “I was really very happy. But I asked myself, ‘If you don't take this, what does it take? All around the world, who has to call you?’"

Pliskova was looking for a new coach, having stopped working with Jiri Vanek following a season in which she reached a career-high No. 6 and made it to the final of the U.S. Open. Kotyza has experience with hard-hitting Czech players, having coached Kvitova to two Wimbledon titles.

"This style of the game—the personality who wants to decide the game, to take responsibility for the points—that's what I like,” he said. “I think that is a small advantage for me at the beginning.”

Despite their similar playing styles, coaching Pliskova will be unlike coaching Kvitova, Kotyza said.

"This is a little different style of work than that time with Petra, because Petra was 18 years old, while Karolina is 24,” he said. “I think she's now more like my partner. I think she's very educated in the game, so we can speak very often about the tactics, about technique.''

Kotyza is with Pliskova in Brisbane, where she has reached the quarterfinals.