"I was very nervous, but in a different way," Kvitova reflects on her final day as a professional player

Petra Kvitova's career came to an end during the first round of the US Open. The 35-year-old Czech player lost to Diane Parry (6-1, 6-0) and then enjoyed a final ovation from the spectators on the court, where a ceremony was held in her honor.

Afterward, the former world No. 2 attended a press conference and shared that she had felt off from the very start of the day, even before the match began.

"From the moment I woke up, I felt that it wasn't going to go well. I couldn't eat. I was very nervous, but in a different way, I would say. I couldn't move. I couldn't make any movements.

I couldn't do anything. It was really difficult. And I had never experienced that before—the feeling of knowing I was probably playing my last match. But it was really hard to imagine.

It was something new, and now it's the last time too. So I won't take any experience from this loss. But yes, I'm glad I did it. It just brings everything to an end," Kvitova told L'Équipe.