Petra Kvitova, the beloved two-time Wimbledon champ, capped her exquisite resume with a heart-stopping thud against faded powers. She exited in the opening round at the US Open. The 35-year-old, who is competing in what could be her final Games, fought tooth and nail at the Grandstand. She certainly showed her trademark fighting spirit, but today, surprisingly, her opponent was too tough. After the match concluded, Kvitova was given a standing ovation on court, celebrating her immense impacts on and off the court to the sport.
Kvitova’s career on the women’s professional tour started back in 2006, when she first came up through the ITF Circuit. Throughout those years, she continued to make history. She was the first player born within the 1990s to win a Grand Slam women’s singles championship. She has done this before—in 2011, she pulled off this impressive upset against Maria Sharapova. She added to her legacy by winning Wimbledon in 2014, defeating Eugenie Bouchard in the final. Of all her wins, none mean more to her than this one, her second Wimbledon title.
She’d battled Covid-19 just three weeks before the tournament. Unwilling to end her storied career on her own terms, she decided to compete and fight in New York. Initially uncertain about her ability to play after contracting the virus, she expressed a desire to finish the season with a Grand Slam.
“I wanted to be playing here, to finish the season, like, with a grand slam and not because the Covid caught me,” – Petra Kvitova
Here’s Kvitova struggling mightily with obvious health issues throughout her match. In her own words, she had to come clean about her physical state not being up to par. She remarked on her respiratory struggles, stating,
“My lungs are not really working yet, but I hope it will be OK when I’m not practicing now.” – Petra Kvitova
Midway through her career, Kvitova achieved the impossible. As a result, she surged to a career-high No. 2 in the world ranking and eight seasons in the top 10 from 2011-2015 and 2018-2020. She served her country as a four-time Olympian, winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Kvitova’s professionalism and sportsmanship earned her the prestigious Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award on eight occasions, a testament to her character both on and off the court. Portia Archer, the WTA’s Chief Executive Officer, praised Kvitova’s legacy, stating,
“Throughout her career, Petra has competed with humility and resilience and thrilled tennis audiences with her exciting brand of tennis. The fact that her player peers voted for her to receive the prestigious Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, on eight occasions, says everything about her special place in our sport.”
In looking back on her career, Kvitova said she was proud of what she achieved and the obstacles she had to overcome.
“I’m very proud of how I handled the pressure, how many times I have been in the top 10. It was very, very special for me. I’ve never been world No. 1, but I think still those two grand slam wins is above the world No. 1.” – Petra Kvitova
As she bids adieu to competitive tennis, Kvitova will undoubtedly reflect on her time in the game and its beauties that extend beyond the court.
“What I am going to miss, it will be the tennis itself. It’s a beautiful sport. Everything you do on the court, it’s your fault or your win.” – Petra Kvitova
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