One of the game’s greatest grass court players made her return to a surface she’s performed ever so well on over the years. Petra Kvitova started her grass return with an impressive straight sets demolition of Tereza Smitkova in the opening round of the Aegon Classic.
Kvitova’s return to tennis is an emotional one for many reasons. The Czech player’s career was put at serious risk at the back end of 2016, when an intruder injured her hand, which forced her out of the first half of the 2017 season. The two-time Wimbledon champion has always remained positive and bright about the future and expressed her appreciation for being able to return to tennis as early as she did. She opened up about the matter during her post-match press conference in Birmingham:
“This time I’m fresh, too, but for a different reason. I didn’t want a break, but as you said, somebody took it from me. And it wasn’t my truth, but I’m always trying to look positive on the things, so everything bad is for something good. So I feel that I am maybe love tennis even more than before because I know what it means for me. And I always know why I’m playing this sport and always love competing, and I missed the fight and I missed adrenaline during the matches. So I’m happy that I have it back.”
Kvitova, who has one of the most destructive games on a tennis court, still does not know whether she will ever be at 100% and will ever return to the highest of heights in regards to her tennis, but the subtle positive tone in her voice suggested that positive things were on the horizon for the Czech.
“There was time when nobody ever know if I were able to play again, so I’m more appreciated about this time. And probably even if I lose, I will always smile and to be happy that I’m back. So that’s kind of different.”
It is easy to forget that Kvitova’s career became under extreme doubts when she learned that she was suffering with glandular fever in 2015. Many tennis players at the top of the game have felt the effects of the “kissing disease” and never really recovered – an example of that in the men’s game is Robin Soderling, a two-time Roland Garros finalist.
Kvitova discussed the difference in feeling on returning in 2015 after her mononucleosis diagnosis and this current return from injury:
“Yes it is a big difference actually. And it’s a good question. That time when I took off I didn’t play in that month in Miami I felt very exhausted mentally. I felt like empty. I always love to play tennis with the passion and with love and that time I missed that a bit.”
Kvitova’s return to the sport falls neatly with the current positioning of the WTA, where they are crying out for a leading player to completely dominate the tour and perform greatly on a consistent basis. The Czech’s overwhelming power and brutality, particularly on a grass court, is something that has been greatly missed.
Kvitova next faces British wildcard Naomi Broady in the second round, but I asked the two-time Wimbledon winner how she felt as she played in her first match back on the grass:
“I think this first match on the grass was pretty good. I think that I served well and I played good shots from the baseline. And yeah, I mean, I think I had good timing on the court today and I’m happy the way I played.”
The next step in the right direction would be collecting some wins here in Birmingham heading into the big one at Wimbledon. Kvitova’s previous conquests at Wimbledon suggest that she is someone that should not be ignored even in the 2017 version of the event, three years on from her last Wimbledon victory.
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