Petra Kvitova is looking forward to a successful 2018 season after a very difficult year in which she made a remarkable come-back to the tennis court just a few months after suffering a career-threatening injury.
One year ago the double Wimbledon champion was stubbed in her hand by an intruder in her home in the small Czech town of Prostejov and had to undergo surgery to repair tendon and nerves issues. After months of rehabilitation she could make her come-back at last May’s Roland Garros. She beat Julia Boserop in the first round but lost to Bethanie Mattek Sands in straigh sets in the second round.
Petra even lifted the 20th career trophy on her favourite grass court at the Aegon International in Birmingham beating Ashleigh Barty in the final. She then lost to Madison Brengle in three sets at Wimbledon.
During the US hard court season the Czech player reached the quarter final at Stanford before losing to Sloane Stephens in both Toronto and Cincinnati. She went on to beat Jelena Jankovic, Alizé Cornet and Caroline Garcia to reach the fourth round at the US Open. She beat Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza to reach her tenth Grand Slam quarter final before losing to Venus Williams in three sets.
She started her Asian Swing in Wuhan where she defended the title won in 2016, but lost in a marathon three-set battle against Peng Shuai after 3 hours and 34 minutes in the longest match in Kvitova’s career. Kvitova beat Caroline Wozniacki at the China Open in Beijing the following week but lost to Caroline Garcia in straight sets in the semifinals. She ended the season ranked world number 29.
Kvitova talked to the British newspaper The Guardian about her past season and her goals for the next year, where she is aiming to return to her best form.
“This year has been a rollercoaster. The beginning wasn’t very nice, so I am very glad that it’s over. Now I can look at everything positively again. It was a pretty tough year and I had a lot of emotions during my comeback. I can see that I can play tennis and I can play well, and for me this is the best outcome I could have hoped for. I have started to live with my new hand. I have started to try to like it, to love it and that’s how I am going to take it. It’s my hand and I am just happy that I have all my fingers. It will take more than a year to get full movement back, I am not sure. For tennis and for life I have done everything that I could but there is still some space to improve it. I hope that with more time I will be even stronger”, said Kvitova to the Guardian.
Kvitova admitted that tennis has helped her recover from this experience, although the memory of what happened will remain forever.
“If I wasn’t playing tennis I don’t think I could be as positive as I am now, but it’s not pleasant to see those flashbacks. It is a time that I try to forget but I know I will never really forget what happened. This experience has shown me how hard I can work if I need to and just how much of a fighter I am on and off the court”.
She has never given up thanks to her determination.
“I heard the rumours that I would never play again but I thought: “I will show them. Why are they saying that. It was very painful for me. It felt like they did not believe me. My doctor Radek Kebrie told me that many other experts thought that I would never ever play. He didn’t want to tell me and that was a good decision for my mental state of mind. The week after surgery I asked my doctor: “Do you think I could play this year ? He didn’t answer for a while and then he said: “We are going to work on it. I understood that it was not going to be easy.
Kvitova will start her next season in Brisbane, where she will be bidding to win her second title, and Sydney before the Australian Open.
