Petra Kvitova Hopes To Use Dubai As Springboard To Return To The Top - UBITENNIS

Petra Kvitova Hopes To Use Dubai As Springboard To Return To The Top

After a disappointing start to the year, the Czech is hoping to turn her fortunes around.

By Adam Addicott
4 Min Read
https://twitter.com/Petra_Kvitova/status/1478207183045242880/photo/1

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has mixed emotions coming into this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships.

The Czech won the tournament back in 2013 and was then runner-up three years ago against Belinda Bencic. This year she isn’t seeded in the draw due to her world ranking of 25th which is her lowest position since January 2018. However, there are some advantages for Kvitova who in some ways has less pressure to perform well in the tournament compared to those who are seeded.

Perhaps it was the status of an underdog which helped Kvitova during her straight sets win over world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday. It was the first time she has beaten a top two player on the Tour since Ash Barty at the 2020 Qatar Open.

“There are a lot of things I want to improve if I am to get back to the top but I know I can play my best,” Kvitova told reporters following her win. “At 31 I am still learning this time, this match, I would say yes, the pressure was a little bit better. On the other hand I’m like, Oh my god, it’s the second round, I’m playing first seeded, it’s not good. I’m not getting used to it.”

In recent weeks the 31-year-old has been hindered by a wrist injury which has slowed down her practice schedule. Now back to full fitness, she is eager to return to the top of women’s tennis again. Motivated by not wanting to face top seeds early on in tournaments like she has done in Dubai this week.

“The pressure was a little bit better today (Wednesday), I suppose,” she said. “On the other hand I’m like: ‘Oh my god, it’s the second round and I am playing the top seed — that’s not good.’ I’m not getting used to that.
“But that is my ranking right now and I have to come back somehow. If I want to come back, I have to beat some seeded players. There’s no question about it.
“It’s challenging because from the first round you have great players. But as we saw today, I mean, everything is possible. Of course, in women tennis, it’s pretty open. Maybe it will be better because I always play a little bit better against better ranking players. Maybe it could be good for me in the end.”

Prior to this week, Kvitova has had a disappointing start to the season by failing to win back-to-back matches at four consecutive tournaments. Her only wins were over Arantxa Rus in Sydney and Jule Niemeier in St. Petersburg.

The next test will be against Jelena Ostapenko. Another unseeded player in Dubai who knocked out Iga Swiatek in a battle of former French Open champions. She narrowly leads their head-to-head 4-3 but they last played against each other in 2020.

Kvitova has been ranked as high as two in the world and has won 28 Tour titles so far in her career. She has also played in 52 Grand Slam main draws where she has recorded 118 wins.

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