Kvitova: "When I stopped, there was a 95% chance I wouldn’t come back"

The wait is over for Petra Kvitova. The 35-year-old Czech player, who returned to the tour in February in Austin, has won her first match since her pregnancy, and her first since Beijing in 2023.

Facing Irina-Camelia Begu, the two-time Wimbledon champion (2011, 2014) secured her victory in straight sets (7-5, 6-1) and will now face Ons Jabeur for a spot in the third round of the WTA 1000 in Rome.

Despite never advancing past the quarterfinals in the Italian capital (a stage she has reached twice before, in 2012 and 2015), the world No. 830 ended a streak of five consecutive losses on the WTA tour. She spoke to the media after her recent win against the Romanian.

"It’s a much better feeling than losing. It’s a bit strange to get my first win since my comeback here in Rome, where I’ve never really played well. To be honest, I don’t have any real goals. I came back because I love the sport.

Not the tournaments, but tennis itself. When I stopped, there was a 95% chance I wouldn’t return. But for now, there’s no time limit on this comeback. It’s nice having my son here with me. He wasn’t in Madrid, and that was tough," said the former world No. 2.