Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has spoken about her meeting with former world No.1 Monica Seles following her knife attack in December 2016.
Kvitova was forced to miss almost six months of competitive action after her left hand was injured during a confrontation with an attacker in her home. Involved in a tussle with the individual, who had a knife, the Czech received damage to the nerves and tendons in her hand. Resulting in her undergoing extensive surgery.
Shortly after the incident, Kvitova spoke with Seles about her experience. Seles was stabbed in the back during a match at the 1993 Citizen Cup in Hamburg. An incident that had a devastating impact on her career with the American not returning to the tour for two years. Her attacker was Günter Parche. A Steffi Graf fan with a history of mental illness.
“We met each other and decided we were looking to talk about what we’d been through,” Reuters quoted Kvitova as saying during media day at Indian Wells on Wednesday.
“It was nice to meet someone who has been through something very similar.”
“It was a big surprise that she wanted to talk with me and say nice words. It was one of the biggest things I’ve ever heard and from such a legend, to hear what happened to her.”
Last month Kvitova testified in the trail of a 33-year-old man charged with her attack. Giving a detailed account of what happened, the 28-year-old said there was blood ‘everywhere’ and she gave her attacker ten thousand crowns ($440). Kvitova still hasn’t got any sensitivity in the tips of her hand.
“With my experience, I am not sure if I am going to be 100 per cent one day and I’m not sure if she is either,” she said of Seles.
“But hopefully she is happy and can enjoy her life as much as she can.”
Since returning from her attack at the 2017 French Open, Kvitova has won nine titles on the WTA Tour. This season she has already featured in three finals, including the Australian Open where she was runner-up to Naomi Osaka.
Kvitova is the third seed at this week’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. She will play her first match on Friday against either Venus Williams or Andrea Petkovic.
