Kvitova 'on track' for Wimbledon – and could play at French Open
Petra Kvitova is “on track” to play at Wimbledon less than seven months after suffering a career-threatening hand injury in a knife attack at her home.
The 26-year-old, a two-time Wimbledon champion, was stabbed on 20 December by an intruder in her apartment in Prostejov in the Czech Republic.
She could return at the French Open, which starts next week.
A spokeswoman for Kvitova said the player would make a “last-minute decision” about competing in Paris.
Following the attack in December, surgeons spent almost four hours repairing tendons and nerves in Kvitova’s left hand – her playing hand.
The Czech, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, will be included on the official entry list for this year’s Championships, which will be released on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, she posted a photograph on social media of her returning to full training in Monaco.
“I hope this picture makes you as happy as it makes me,” wrote Kvitova, who has fallen to 16th in the world rankings having been 11th at the time of the attack.
Wimbledon – the third Grand Slam of the season – starts on Monday, 3 July.
Kvitova career stats
- Turned professional in 2006, aged 16
- First Wimbledon appearance as a junior in 2007, reaching the last 16
- First career title in 2009 – the Hobart International, Australia
- Now has 19 titles with career prize money totalling more than £18.4m
- Reached a career-high of world number two in October 2011, behind Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki
- Won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, losing her semi-final to eventual gold medallist Monica Puig