Petra Kvitová during the semifinals of the French Open.
Michel Euler, ČTK / AP
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Paradoxically, Petra Kvitová experienced one of the best grand slam years in her career, although her beloved Wimbledon was canceled. The two-time winner from the All England Club of Czech tennis players gave the most consistent performances in the biggest tournaments.
After all, only Kvitová and her semi-final conqueror from Paris, the American Sofia Keninová, managed to advance at least to the 4th round at this year’s grand slams.
Kvitová will be missing in Ostrava: I probably wouldn’t be able to do it mentally
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While Karolína Plíšková, the best Czech tennis player and world number six in the world (3rd round in Melbourne, 2nd round in Paris and New York) returned to the GS tournaments before the US Open 2016, Kvitová experienced the third best grand slam season in terms of percentage success. Even in 2014, when it seized the Wimbledon throne for the second time, it did not have such a stable performance in the largest companies during the year.
| Grand Slam balance of Petra Kvitová |
| 2011: 14-3 → Win rate 82.35 percent |
| (CF AO, 4th round FO, title W, 1st round USO) |
| 2012: 17-4 → 80.95 percent |
| (SF AO, SF FO, ČF W, 4th round USO) |
| 2020: 12-3 → 80 percent |
| (ČF AO, 4. kolo USO, SF FO) |
| 2014: 11-3 → 78.57 percent |
| (1st round AO, 3rd round FO, title W, 3rd round USO) |
“I think I can play those grand slams already. I have improved mentally. I try to force myself to hit with every ball. Although I may not have played quite well, I found a way, which is positive,” Kvitová said, evaluating for the Czech media. season.
In Melbourne, Australian number one Ashleigh Barty was above her strength in the quarterfinals, she lost over four eighth finals in New York with the American Shelby Rogers, and finally in Paris she cut off her way to the finals with Kenin.
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Petra Kvitová is happy to advance to the quarterfinals of the French Open
Michel Euler, ČTK / AP
“I was sorry and I am especially Wimbledon … I regretted the US Open more than Paris. I wouldn’t expect to play the French Open semifinals after eight years,” said Kvitová.
“But it’s a pity, because she definitely had Petra on Keninova and Šwiateková would have a harder time with her in the final. The polka wouldn’t be able to dictate the pace so much,” thinks former Fedcup and Daviscup coach Jan Kukal.
However, Kvitová has already said several times how grateful she is to be able to play top-level tennis even after a serious hand injury caused by a knife in December 2016 during a robbery by Radim Žondra, later sentenced to 11 years in prison.
“For me, it’s actually my second career, a little miracle that I’m playing, but I also know that things are more important in life,” Kvitová said.
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Petra Kvitová in the match against the German Laura Siegemundová
Charles Platiau, Reuters
After the interruption of the season in March, she had great doubts.
“The motivation was bad. I’m not a training type, I didn’t want to, but I still managed to prepare for the big events. This is very important for me and the future of my tennis,” said the 30-year-old tennis player, who has been on the WTA circuit since 2006.
Next season for Kvitová will be a jubilee year. Ten years will have passed since her first Wimbledon triumph (July 2), the victory at the Champions Tournament in Istanbul (October 30) and the premier win of the Fed Cup (November 6).
“But most of all, I hope that the situation will calm down and the world will return to normal a bit. I believe that the tournaments will continue to play and we will not have to worry so much anymore,” the eighth player in the world rankings would like.
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