Petra Kvitova has announced her retirement from professional tennis after the US Open, bringing an end to her career at age 35. The Czech star's decision comes nine years after a horrific knife attack that nearly ended her career but ultimately defined her extraordinary resilience.
Kvitova won Wimbledon twice in 2011 and 2014, establishing herself as one of tennis's elite players. However, her life changed dramatically in December 2016 when she was attacked by an intruder in her own home, suffering severe injuries to her left hand that required urgent surgery to save her tennis career.
The attack left deep psychological scars alongside the physical damage. "I cried on the court, I had really bad flashbacks, I was having nightmares," Kvitova revealed. "So it really wasn't easy. It took a while, but it's all good now."
Remarkable Recovery Journey
After five months of intensive rehabilitation, Kvitova returned to competition at the French Open in 2017, beginning what she called her "second career". The comeback proved remarkably successful, with the left-hander winning 12 titles after her injury.
She reached the Australian Open final in 2019, narrowly losing to Naomi Osaka in three sets, and advanced to the French Open semi-finals in 2020. The experience revealed new depths to her character that surprised even herself.
"I knew I was a big fighter on the court but at that time I realised how I am an even bigger fighter in a totally different version of myself," she reflected. "That was great, even though it was very tough to play tennis."
Family First Decision
Motherhood has significantly influenced Kvitova's decision to retire. She took a break from tennis in 2024 to have her first child, who was born in July last year, and now prioritises family time over her sporting career.
"I still love tennis but everything else, waiting for the practices, waiting for the car, waiting for a match, it's just tiring," she explained. "And having a son, it's a totally different life. I just want to spend more time with him as well."
Kvitova expressed no regrets about her retirement timing. "I'm totally ready. I'm not regretting anything," she said, showing her philosophical approach to ending her career on her own terms.
The 35-year-old will compete at the US Open next week, hoping for a strong final performance in her last major tournament. Her career stands as a testament to extraordinary resilience and the power of fighting back from life-threatening adversity.
Sources used: "PA Media", "GBNews", "Mirror" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
