As Petra Kvitova prepares for her final tournament before retiring from tennis, it would be easy for her to dwell on what might have been. Despite her impressive achievements—two Wimbledon titles, 31 tournament wins worldwide, and a career-high ranking of world No. 2—many have felt she could have, and perhaps should have, won even more. Martina Navratilova, her fellow Czech and a record nine-time Wimbledon champion, once predicted Kvitova could win the title five times. But like Rafael Nadal, who always kept things in perspective, Kvitova is heading into retirement content, knowing she gave everything she had.
“It’s probably my personality that I didn’t win more,” says Kvitova, 35, on the eve of the US Open. “I think I had the talent. Maybe I could have worked a little harder, but on the other hand, that might have stifled my talent or my mindset. I think I could have won more, but what can I do? I reached the Australian Open final in 2019 and lost to Naomi Osaka, who played incredibly in the third set. There will always be questions about the number of Grand Slams I won. Becoming world No. 1 is the one thing I’m missing, and it’s something I would have loved to achieve. But if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. It wouldn’t have made my life better or made me happier.”
This perspective is especially impressive considering what Kvitova endured in the middle of her career. After winning Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, she was ranked No. 11 when, during the off-season at the end of 2016, she suffered a horrific knife attack by an intruder in her home. She needed extensive surgery on her left hand, and doctors gave her only a 10% chance of playing again. Yet, she not only returned within six months but went on to win 12 more titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 2, coming tantalizingly close to the top spot.
The ordeal revealed an inner strength she didn’t know she had. “I knew I was a fighter on the court, but at that time, I realized I was an even bigger fighter in a completely different way,” she says. “That was a positive, even though playing tennis was incredibly tough. I cried on the court, had bad flashbacks, and suffered from nightmares. It wasn’t easy, and it took time, but I’m fine now. There was a big question mark over whether I could play again—and I did. It felt like a second career, and it was amazing.”
Now married to her coach, former player Jiri Vanek, Kvitova gave birth to her son, Petr, in July 2024. She returned to the tour just seven months later but struggled physically, winning only one of her nine matches. “I’m ready to stop,” she says, adding that she would like to have another child in the future. “Mentally, emotionally, and physically, I think I can’t do it anymore. You remember how you used to play, how smooth everything was, how you hit winners—and suddenly it’s just not there anymore. I’m totally ready to retire. I have no regrets.”I still love tennis, but everything else—waiting for practices, waiting for the car, waiting for matches—it’s just tiring. And having a son has brought a totally different life. I just want to spend more time with him, too.
With her powerful serve and dominant groundstrokes, Kvitova was one of the most natural ball-strikers of her generation. At her peak, she was nearly unbeatable, winning 31 of her 42 finals and claiming at least one WTA Tour title every year from 2011 to 2019. Her performance in the 2014 Wimbledon final, where she overwhelmed Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 in just 55 minutes, is considered one of the greatest displays in the tournament’s history. Unsurprisingly, that remains one of her proudest moments. “Winning it a second time feels totally different than the first,” Kvitova says. “Once you know how it feels to win, you just want that feeling again. Nothing more. That was probably my best memory.”
Kvitova made her final Wimbledon appearance this year, losing to Emma Navarro in the first round.
There were many other highlights, including six Fed Cup titles with the Czech Republic. She won the WTA Finals on her debut in 2011, took home an Olympic bronze medal in 2016, and surprised everyone by winning the Miami Open in 2023 at age 33. “That’s one I was very proud of,” she says. “I hadn’t been playing my best, I wasn’t confident at all, I was feeling tired and old—and then this happened. Very proud of that.”
Looking back, she regrets her 2013 Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to Kirsten Flipkens—“I remember I was sick”—but if there’s one match she’d want to replay above all others, it would be the Australian Open final where she was narrowly defeated by Naomi Osaka.
“That was the most painful match of my career, it was terrible,” she admits. “On the other hand, after everything I’d been through, I would have signed up just to be in that final, to have a chance to compete against the best. There was maybe one game—I remember one return that went a little long—that could have changed everything. I had a break point. But overall, I don’t know what I could have done differently. I think Naomi was just a little bit better. That’s it.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Petra Kvitovas retirement statement designed to be clear and natural
General Beginner Questions
Q Who is Petra Kvitova
A She is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic a twotime Wimbledon champion and one of the most powerful lefthanded players in the sports history
Q Did Petra Kvitova officially retire
A Yes she announced her retirement from professional tennis in the spring of 2024 after a legendary career
Q What did she mean by saying Im completely ready to retire I have no regrets
A It means she feels at peace with her decision She believes she has achieved everything she wanted in her career and is leaving the sport feeling fulfilled and happy without wishing she had done anything differently
Q How old was she when she retired
A She was 34 years old
Career Legacy Questions
Q What were her biggest career accomplishments
A Her biggest accomplishments are winning Wimbledon twice winning an Olympic bronze medal and helping the Czech Republic win the Fed Cup multiple times
Q Why is her career considered so remarkable
A Not only for her wins but also for her incredible comeback She returned to the top of the sport after suffering a severe hand injury during a home invasion in 2016 which was a testament to her resilience and fighting spirit
Q Did she ever win a Grand Slam besides Wimbledon
A No her two major titles were both at Wimbledon She was a finalist at the Australian Open and reached the semifinals of the US Open and French Open
Q What was her highest ranking
A She reached a careerhigh ranking of World No 2
The Retirement Decision
Q Why did she decide to retire now
A While she didnt give one single reason factors often include the physical demands of the tour a desire to start a new chapter in life and feeling that she had accomplished her major goals
Q What does no regrets mean in the context of a sports career
A It means she feels she maximized her talent gave 100 effort won the biggest titles and overcame significant challenges She isn
