Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is eager to prove that she can once again challenge for the biggest titles in tennis.
The Czech player experienced a challenging season last year where she was at one point unsure if she could ever play the sport again. In December 2016 she was attacked in her apartment and suffered extensive damage to her left playing hand. Undergoing over four hours of surgery, she missed six months of the tour before returning at the French Open. Since then, glimmers of Kvitova’s talent have been on full display, but consistency is the key element missing.
“After everything that happened I am very happy to be playing tennis, that’s a great thing,” Kvitova told Fairfax Media.
“Definitely I did not want to come back just to play tennis, I just wanted to be good, be able to compete with the top players on the tour.
“I really want to show not only to the people around me but to show myself that I’m still able to compete well and beat some top players, in the US Open for example, winning the title in Birmingham. For me the highlight of the year was the US Open for sure.”
Kvitova’s start to 2018 has been far from ideal. A viral illness has forced her to miss the season-opening Brisbane International. Instead, she will aim to start the new year at the Apia International in Sydney next week. A tournament she won back in 2015.
With the return of Serena Williams and the openness of the women’s tour, the new season is one that intrigues many. Kvitova herself admits that she is ‘kind of curious’ to see how the likes of Williams and Maria Sharapova fair. Nevertheless, she is determined to not let it sidetrack her from her own goals.
“I just wanted to focus on myself and my game. Obviously I would like to have a great year in the grand slams then I think it’ll show in the rankings.” She said.
“For sure I do have my own goals, but I’m going to keep it for myself.”
Praise for Venus
Due to her current ranking, Kvitova will be unseeded in Sydney. The draw is set to be headlined by 37-year-old Venus Williams, who will play in her first Sydney WTA tournament (in singles) since 1999.
The longevity of Venus, who reached two grand slam finals in 2017, has earned her praise from Kvitova. Who could be a early round opponent for her next week. Kvitova leads Venus 4-2 in their head-to-head, but lost their most recent encounter at the US Open last September.
“She’s a great example,” Kvitova said.
“It’s amazing the age that she has, it’s just nice to see that she still has a passion for her tennis.
“She’s still working hard. She’s a great inspiration not only for me but all the players who are playing.
“At age 30 or 32, everyone is slowly thinking about the ending of their careers but she’s not really thinking about it, it’s great.”
Kvitova, who won the 2017 Birmingham International, is currently ranked 29th in the world.
