Kvitova, before her last Wimbledon: "This tournament means everything to me"
The 35-year-old Czech will compete for the last time in La Catedral, the same one she conquered in 2011 and 2014: "The second title was much more satisfying than the first".
From 2008 to 2025, with only missing out on last year's edition. This will be the journey that Petra Kvitova leaves at Wimbledon, the tournament that elevated her to the highest heights of this sport, winning a couple of titles and showing herself as one of the best grass-court players in the last two decades. Unfortunately, everything comes to an end, which is why the Czech arrives in London this season with a different mindset: that of saying goodbye to her sacred place. Before facing Emma Navarro in the first round later today, it's worth reading the emotional words of this 35-year-old veteran who will definitively hang up her racket at the US Open.
Her last Wimbledon
“Happiness, that is the only word I can use to describe the feeling of being back here. I am enjoying every moment I can being in this place, my parents are also here, my son, my husband, even my brother, so basically my whole family will be by my side this last time. My son has already been at the edge of the court, we have taken many photos together to show him in the future, to see that we were here.”
A special tournament
“Wimbledon means everything to me in tennis and in general. When I was growing up, I never really thought I could become a professional tennis player, but then, when I became one, I only dreamed of playing at Wimbledon, never of winning. The day it happened, I felt it was unreal, I still see it as surreal, even though I won the title twice, but it feels like I was someone else. I think the second time was more satisfying, more enjoyable, what is undeniable is that here I have lived my best memories.”
An anecdote for each title
“Before the 2011 final, with Sharapova, I woke up in the morning and my coach had been in our garden. He used toilet paper to write 'Podj' on the ground, which was a word of encouragement in Czech that we used when I was struggling on court, it was a great surprise. The second time, in 2014 against Bouchard, it was a very tough draw for me facing three Czechs. Winning is never easy, I couldn't eat anything the day before the final, I was too nervous. I remember seeing myself on the floor of the locker room, trying to talk to anyone to not be thinking about tennis. It was a great distraction and it worked, because I played a perfect final.”
Tennis is not everything
“It's really nice to see my name on the wall, to see my picture holding the trophy, although now I see everything differently, life is no longer just about lifting trophies. I will always be very grateful for all the success I had on court, but I think as a mother, right now, all of that is seen from a different perspective, it's no longer just about tennis.”
A role model for her generation
“I think people can connect with me because I am a more positive than negative person, I always like to focus on the good side of things, even when there is clearly nothing to save. Maybe it's my smile on the court, but that's how I've always behaved. I grew up in a small town, with normal things, not much money, so I have been humble from the first day to the last. Simply, I hope to be remembered as a normal person.”
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Kvitova, ante su último Wimbledon: “Este torneo significa todo para mí”