Two years ago Petra Kvitova was left facing the possibility that she would never be able to play tennis again.
On December 20th, 2016, the Czech was involved in a tussle with a knife-wielding man at her apartment in the Eastern Czech town of Prostejov. The attacker entered the apartment by posing as a fake maintenance man. Involved in a fight, Kvitova suffered significant damage to the tendons and nerves in her left hand, which she uses to play tennis. In the immediate aftermath, she underwent four hours of surgery to repair the damage and spent five months away from the tour.
“It wasn’t a really nice time to be dealing with everything. It wasn’t only physically, but mentally was very tough. It took me a while to trust the people around me again, and especially the men, for sure.” Kvitova told reporters on Thursday.
The timing of the attack was brutal. At the end of 2016, Kvitova was on the verge of returning back into the world’s top 10. Winning 16 out of 18 matches played and claiming titles in Wuhan and at the Elite trophy.
“I recently found out that my doctor wasn’t really happy with my hand during the second month (of recovery), because the scars were very, very tight and hard, and I couldn’t really do anything with that. Luckily he didn’t tell me during that period.” She revealed.
“I really needed to be strong and not really thinking too negatively about it, but of course those thoughts were there, as well.”
In the midst of the ordeal, Kvitova also had the agony of not knowing who the person was that almost ended her career. It would take a 17-month police investigation before the suspect was caught. He was arrested in May and now faces up to 12 years in prison.
“Well, it was a little bit of a wait for me,” she told ESPN at the time of the arrest. “When that happened, I wasn’t really wishing anything more than just they catch him. And then when I was focusing on the hand and I was really trying hard to be back or focusing on the rehab, then I a little bit forget and, you know, I have been telling myself that I can’t really do anything. It’s the police, and they do what they have to do. And in the end, hopefully they did great job.”
It can be forgiven to think that the two-time Wimbledon champion is over the ordeal, however, the scars remain – both mentally and physically. Till this day she hasn’t got the full feeling in one finger in her left hand. Admitting that it will never fully recover.
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One-and-a-half years have passed since Kvitova started her comeback with an emotional win in the first round of the 2017 French Open. Since then, the Czech has managed to once again establish herself as one of the best players on the women’s tour. Winning no fewer than five titles in 2018. The highest amount of trophies collected on the WTA Tour by any player during that season.
“I always wanted to come back and play at the highest level I can, compete with the best, play the grand slams, go very deep in the grand slam draws.”
The resurgence continues until the present day. Kvitova is now on a 11-match winning streak after triumphing at the Sydney International. At the Australian Open, she got the breakthrough she has desired. Yet to drop a set in the tournament, she defeated Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-4, on Thursday. Securing a place in her first grand slam final since winning the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.
“I worked pretty hard to be back there. So I’m really happy to be back there again.” She said afterwards.
“To be honest, I think not very many people believe that I can do that again, to stand on the court and play tennis and kind of play on this level.”
It isn’t just another grand slam title on the line for Kvitova when she faces Naomi Osaka for the Australian Open crown on Saturday. A win would also make her world No.1 for the first time in her career. Something that would be the peak in what has been a remarkable comeback by the Czech player.
Kvitova’s journey is one that inspires many.
