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Petra Kvitova wins comeback match at French Open after horrific knife attack

By Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic celebrates following her victory during the ladies singles first round match against Julia Boserup of the United States on day one of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic celebrates following her victory during the ladies singles first round match against Julia Boserup of the United States on day one of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) /
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With tears in her eyes, Petra Kvitova stormed back and won her first match after being attacked in her home last December, defeating American Julia Boserup, 6-3, 6-2.

Petra Kvitova wasn’t supposed to be in Paris. After being attacked in her home last December and sustaining potential career-ending injuries to her forehand left wrist and hand, the 27-year-old player underwent several surgeries and started rehabilitation. Her surgeons and doctors weren’t sure when the two-time Wimbledon champion would return to tennis, if at all.

But Kvitova was determined and started training as soon as she could. Hope was pinned on the grand slam tournament she had won before, with Kvitova trying to get ready for grass season, at best. Maybe the hard court season during the summer would be more realistic.

The Czech player has been working with former pro Jiri Vanek since the attack, and he put it simply.

“We have already exceeded our expectations, so it’s easy to manage that.”

But Kvitova is a fighter and rehabilitation progressed better than expected. Even if she hadn’t played a clay tournament this year, she decided she would take her chances and was a surprise entry to the French Open. She also performed the unexpected in her first round, winning in just over an hour.

“Yesterday I was thinking how everything will be, and I couldn’t really imagine how that’s going to be,” Kvitova said afterward. “I maybe thought that I would cry when I step on the court, but I didn’t today. … I was happy, because normally I can control my emotion on the court.”

Rusty at first, hitting a few forehands long, the former world number two found her rhythm and demonstrated the “courage,” “belief,” and “Povd!” (Czech for “Come on!”) emblazoned on black t-shirts worn by her entourage, who she pointed to afterwards. Does it matter how far she progresses in this grand slam event? It just matters that she is back and can compete at all.

Kvitova enters the competition with a protected seeding of 15 and wanted to just “test” the waters at Roland Garros. She promised her doctor that she would stop playing if she encountered any pain. So far, she hasn’t, just a little “weirdness,” but is elated to progress to the next round.

“The first point was amazing,” she said. “I surprised myself. It felt weird. But great, as well.”

Kvitova demonstrated the resolve that made her the grand slam champion she is. She won 78 percent of her first serve points. When she clinched the win at Court Philippe Chatrier, she dropped her racquet and blew kisses to the crowd, with tears in her eyes.

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Considering that the WTA number one, Kerber, went out in the first round the same day, Serena Williams is out on pregnancy leave, Sharapova wasn’t even invited to the FO tournament and is still trying to justify her wild card gifts, and Victoria Azarenka won’t be coming back until the grass season, having Kvitova back on the tour is a welcome distraction from a gutted field of women champions.

It’s good to have Petra Kvitova back.

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