For many tennis fans, Petra Kvitova isn’t just remembered for her powerful left-handed game or her Wimbledon triumphs.
She’s remembered as someone who came back from one of the most frightening moments a professional athlete could ever face.
As the Czech star prepares to play her final matches at the US Open, she has been reflecting on the highs, lows, and battles that defined her journey.
A Champion Who Broke Through Early
Kvitova first burst into the spotlight in 2011 when she stunned the tennis world by winning Wimbledon.
At just 21 years old, she became the first player born in the 1990s to claim a Grand Slam singles title.
That victory didn’t stand alone—over the next decade, she collected titles across the globe and climbed as high as world No. 2 in the rankings, cementing her place as one of the most respected names in the sport.
The Attack That Nearly Ended Everything
But in 2016, her life and career were nearly derailed. A 33-year-old intruder posing as a maintenance worker forced his way into her home and held a knife to her throat.
In the struggle, Kvitova suffered devastating injuries to her left hand—the very hand that powered her career.
Doctors told her she had only a ten percent chance of playing professionally again.
For a while, it seemed like her career might end not on the court, but in tragedy.
Fighting Her Way Back
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. Just six months after surgery, Kvitova returned to competition.
She admitted the comeback wasn’t easy—nightmares, flashbacks, and tears often accompanied her training and matches.
“I knew I was a fighter on the court,” she recalled in an interview, “but in that moment, I realized I was an even bigger fighter in life. It was like a second career.”
Despite the trauma, she went on to add another 12 titles to her name and reestablished herself as one of the game’s fiercest competitors.
Closing This Chapter With No Regrets
Now 35, Kvitova has confirmed she is ready to step away. Retirement, she says, feels like the right decision.
“I’m totally ready. I’m not regretting anything,” she explained. “I still love tennis, but everything around it—the waiting, the constant schedules—it’s tiring.
And having a son, life is different now.”
Kvitova and her husband, who is also her coach, welcomed their son, Petr, in July 2024.
For her, family time now takes priority over the demands of the tour.
A Final Farewell in New York
Seeded 14th at this year’s US Open, Kvitova will walk onto the court for the last time knowing she has already written one of the sport’s most inspiring stories.
Whether she lifts the trophy or not, her legacy is secure: a champion whose determination extended far beyond tennis.
