Czech Tennis Player Holikova, 18, Seeks Political Asylum in U.S.

Tennis player Andrea Holikova of Czechoslovakia has applied for political asylum in the United States, a spokesman for the Minnesota North Stars hockey club said Friday.

“She filed for it (Thursday) after meeting with the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) in St. Paul,” said Sue Thomas, an assistant to North Star General Manager Lou Nanne.

The North Stars had helped Holikova’s boyfriend, defenseman Frantisek Musil, defect from Czechoslovakia in July.

Holikova, 18, was legally in this country and her visa doesn’t expire until the end of December, but she took the action after learning that she might not have been allowed to leave Czechoslovakia again.

“Her parents told her that when she called them about a week and a half ago,” Thomas said. “So then we put her in touch with Senator (Dave) Durenberger’s office.”

Holikova, who won the Wimbledon junior title in 1985, was unavailable for comment. She has been advised by officials in Washington to keep a low profile.

Her action took the tennis world by surprise, including her Federation Cup teammate, Helena Sukova.

“We were all surprised because she had no problems coming in and out,” Sukova said from New York, where she is competing in the Virginia Slims championships. “I don’t know why she did it. She just must have had some reason.”