Petra Kvitova Will Not Be Broken

Just 16 months after a violent attack almost ended her career, the two-time Wimbledon champ opens up about her injury, the recovery and how she plans to confront the clay at Roland Garros.

- Bonnie D. Ford

A little more than a year ago, Petra Kvitova didn’t know whether she’d ever be able to properly grip a racket again. Defending herself against a knife-wielding invader at her then-home in Prostejov, Czech Republic, the two-time Wimbledon champion suffered severe injuries to her dominant left hand in December 2016. After four hours of surgery to repair damaged tendons and nerves, Kvitova, 28, set out on a long road of intensive physical therapy—and worked to regain the tenacious mindset that’s made her famously tough to beat in three-set matches.

Now the 2012 French Open semifinalist looks to go deep on dirt again when the season’s second grand slam begins on May 27. Those clay courts were the venue for her dramatic, unexpectedly early return last spring, when Kvitova walked into her opening match with her fingernails painted a defiant ruby red. Since then, she’s captured three tournament titles and roared back into the top 10. The attacker remains unidentified, and Kvitova still lacks full strength and feeling in her left hand. But in a recent conversation with The Mag, an upbeat Kvitova said she’s grateful for how far she’s come. This is the story of her journey back, in her own words:

AT THE BEGINNING, it was very tough. I was still looking around me [for the attacker], if he’s there, maybe, somewhere. It was a very weird feeling. I do have flashbacks and thoughts on it, but it’s better. The authorities still want to catch him, and hopefully someday they will.