Fansided

Petra Kvitova a sentimental favorite for Wimbledon

By Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic poses with the Maud Watson Trophy after winning the final of the Aegon Classic Birmingham Final at Edgbaston Priory Club on June 25, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images for LTA)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic poses with the Maud Watson Trophy after winning the final of the Aegon Classic Birmingham Final at Edgbaston Priory Club on June 25, 2017 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images for LTA) /
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Six months ago Petra Kvitova was recuperating from a horrific home burglary that turned into a near-career ending knife attack. With her win at Birmingham, the Czech player is now in contention for a fairy tale Wimbledon title.

When Kvitova was attacked last December, her doctors weren’t sure what time frame she would recover by, if at all. They took her progress day by day, pinpointing the time around the US Open as the most likely return date.

At the time, Wimbledon seemed like a distant dream. Recovery progressed faster than expected, with the 12th-ranked player demonstrating the type of fight that resulted in her All England titles in 2011 and 2014. She took her chances and made a surprise entry at the French Open, winning her first-round match.

Once grass season started, the former world No. 2 raced through to the finals at Aegon-Birmingham, a warm-up event before Wimbledon. Her win against Austria’s Ashleigh Barty was an impressive victory that now makes her a contender for the title at the All England Club. Months ago her doctors weren’t even sure if should be able to hold anything, much less a racket. Now she could very well hoist the Venus Rosewater Dish at Wimbledon.

Being able to compete at the grand slam where she achieved so much was one of the primary motivators during her rehabilitation. It seems like a dream that she’s now considered a favorite to win the event.

“From the beginning, Wimbledon was the tournament that was in my mind, that was the one I wanted to play,” said Kvitova after her win at Birmingham. “I didn’t want to lose out on playing Wimbledon this year. For me, Wimbledon is in my heart. It’s the biggest one. It’s even better that I already played in Paris, as at Wimbledon I won’t feel the same pressures that I would have done if that was my first Grand Slam back.”

To win at Wimbledon will also be the ultimate comeback story.

“One day at home, I was driving to practice in the car and the memories suddenly came back. I was thinking about the celebrations when I won in 2014,” Kvitova reminisced with the WTA. “It’s nice that it came to my mind like that. It just suddenly came into my head. What I remember most of all were the celebrations with my close ones, with my family and friends.”

Kvitova’s progress on her favorite surface seems like a dream.

“I just love grass. It feels like home. I love the movement on grass. I love the flat shots, I love the serve and volley, and the drop shots and the slice,” Kvitova said in her WTA interview. “I love everything about it.”

Having Petra Kvitova back on the WTA tour is an inspiring story that is filling the void left by Serena Williams’s absence and Maria Sharapova’s disappointing comeback.

“I could not have imagined a comeback better than the one I am having now,” she said. Neither could we.

The 27-year-old has withdrawn from the Aegon International tournament at Eastbourne with an abdominal strain, but is expected to recover quickly in time for Wimbledon, which starts the week of July 3. It will be a beautiful thing if she wins her third title there.

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