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
#NextGenATP Ruud, Opelka Advance At Roland Garros Qualifying
May222017
Rublev, Bublik also move on
More than a handful of #NextGenATP players advanced a step closer to the Roland Garros main draw on Monday during day one of qualifying in Paris.
Norwegian Casper Ruud, a semi-finalist in Rio earlier this year, made quick work of Belgian Yannik Reuter, advancing 6-3, 6-2 in 67 minutes. The 18-year-old Ruud is trying to make his Grand Slam debut.
American Reilly Opelka, seeking to qualify at Roland Garros for the first time, hit 14 aces to beat Spain’s Daniel Munoz de la Nava 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4. Opelka made his Grand Slam debut earlier this year by qualifying at the Australian Open.
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Opelka’s countryman 19-year-old Stefan Kozlov also advanced, prevailing against France’s Corentin Moutet 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to down sixth seed Thomas Fabbiano of Italy 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Russian Andrey Rublev won 81 per cent of his first-serve points to dismiss Argentina’s Agustin Velotti 6-1, 6-3. Alexander Bublik battled past Egypt’s Mohamed Safwat 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-1 in just under two hours.
Sixth seed Sam Querrey hit 10 aces and won almost 90 per cent (34/39) of his first-serve points to spoil the ATP World Tour debut of German Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-4 on Monday at the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open. Querrey, a titlist earlier this year in Acapulco, will next face Croatian qualifier Franko Skugor, who beat Spaniard Tommy Robredo 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in just over two hours.
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South African Kevin Anderson stayed perfect against seventh seed Paolo Lorenzi, improving to 3-0 against the Italian in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, 7-5, 7-6(1). Anderson will next face #NextGenATP American Jared Donaldson, who dismissed the Dominican Republic’s Victor Estrella Burgos 6-2, 6-4.
German Mischa Zverev saved nine of 11 break points to beat Robin Haase 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-3 in two hours and 12 minutes. Zverev will next meet fourth seed John Isner. The American leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-1, but Zverev won their last meeting, earlier this year at the Australian Open.
#NextGenATP Korean Chung also advances on the clay
Fifth seed Gilles Simon gave the home French fans plenty to cheer about during his first-round win on Monday at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon.
The 32-year-old Frenchman saved seven of eight break points to overcome #NextGenATP Russian Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 in two hours and 17 minutes. Simon will next meet British qualifier Kyle Edmund or Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
#NextGenATP Korean Hyeon Chung will get a second FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting against third seed Tomas Berdych. Chung was nearly perfect on serve during his 6-2, 6-3 win against American Donald Young.
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Chung struck eight aces and dropped only one point on his first serve (30/31) during the 61-minute victory. The 21 year old lost to Berdych during their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, 2015 Miami.
Chung is currently in fourth place in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, which will determine seven of the eight 21-and-under players who will compete at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held 7-11 November in Milan. The eighth player will be determined by wild card.
See Who’s Pushing Chung In Race To Milan
Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin set-up a second-round meeting against top seed Milos Raonic with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. The 21-year-old Kokkinakis was playing in his first singles match of the season and only his second since October 2015. The right-hander endured right shoulder surgery last December before suffering an abdominal strain.
Youths from Tanzania provided with scholarships to train in Italy
Kevin Anderson, ambassador of Tennis for Africa, attended the press conference on the initiative “TENNIS CAMPS” at Salaria Sport Village. The scholarships for youths from Tanzania are developed in the framework of a social developing project for youth through the promotion of sport and in particular or the discipline of tennis.
“It is a pleasure for me to give my support to this important initiative and to be here for Tennis for Africa,” said Anderson.
Four children from Tanzania have been selected to attend one-month tennis camps organised in Italy at the TEAM 2001 Tennis Academy of Gianfranco Barbiero in Padoa and at the BFD Tennis Academy of Fabrizio Di Meo in Rome. The initiative starts in June. The project is totally financed by private donations, receives the support of the two academies and is sponsored by TopSeed and Diadora.
Lorenzo Turchi, chairman of the Tennis for Africa association; Pierluigi Mantini, honorary member of Tennis for Africa association; and Armando Albanesi, team manager of BFD Academy, also attended the press conference.
Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori took time off on Monday to enjoy Geneva’s famous water fountain ‘Jet d’eau’.
World No. 3 Wawrinka, who beat Marin Cilic in the 2016 Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open final, said, “It always feels very special to play in Geneva. This is an amazing tournament and with the beautiful weather the fans will have a great time.”
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Nishikori added, “Geneva is a beautiful city. I love the view on the lake and I’m looking forward to a good week.”
Nishikori, currently No. 9 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, is making his debut at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament. Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Internazionali BNL d’Italia semi-finalist John Isner will also compete in the draw.
Pospisil Returns To Top 100 With Busan Challenger Title
May222017
Revisit the week that was on the ATP Challenger Tour as we applaud the achievements of those on the rise and look ahead to who’s in action in the week to come
LOOK BACK
Busan Open (Busan, South Korea): Vasek Pospisil lifted a first ATP Challenger Tour trophy since Vancouver 2013, having swept aside the field in Busan without dropping a set. The 26 year old capped a fine week with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Go Soeda, needing just 55 minutes to land a fifth Challenger title. The former World No. 25 returns to the Top 100 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since July 2016, rising 24 places to No. 82.
BNP Paribas Primrose (Bordeaux, France): Top seed Steve Darcis clinched his 10th Challenger title in the 10th edition of the prestigious clay-court event. On the grounds of the renowned Villa Primrose, Darcis battled past defending champion Rogerio Dutra Silva 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-5 in the longest final of the season at two hours and 39 minutes. The Belgian’s reward is rising to a career-high No. 38. He is just the third player aged 33-and-over to debut in the Top 40 of the Emirates ATP Rankings in the past 40 years, joining Italian duo Gianluca Pozzi (2001) and Paolo Lorenzi (2016).
What a week… #bestranking #38 #passimallevieux #teamdereve #sharkspirit #??? #vamos pic.twitter.com/urlADmHPAW
— steve darcis (@stevedarcishark) May 22, 2017
Learn more about Bordeaux
Also in Bordeaux, #NextGenATP Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis ignited his comeback from a brutal run of injuries by competing in the doubles alongside countryman Alex Bolt. Despite falling in the quarter-finals to third seeds Purav Raja and Divij Sharan, Kokkinakis was relieved to be back in competitive action. “I just can’t wait to get onto the singles court really,” stated the 21 year old. “The biggest target is to stay healthy. I hope the results will come, but I need to stay on court healthy and build up my work load from there.”
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Neckarcup (Heilbronn, Germany): Filip Krajinovic dropped one set in eight matches to be crowned champion on the ATP Challenger Tour for the first time in two years. The Serbian qualified for the event, managed to save three match points in the semi-finals against sixth seed Guido Pella, before securing a fifth Challenger title with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Norbert Gombos. A right wrist injury sidelined the 25 year old for a portion of 2016, but his perseverance had paid off, rising 91 places to No. 203.
Learn more about Heilbronn
What a week for ?? Filip #Krajinovic in Heilbronn, dropping just one set in eight matches as a qualifier to claim his 5th #ATPChallenger ?. pic.twitter.com/nXJNxAQdS2
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) May 21, 2017
Samarkand Challenger (Samarkand, Uzbekistan): Adrian Menendez-Maceiras won his third Challenger title with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Aldin Setkic. The 31 year old takes home his second title of 2017, having ended a decade-long wait last month in Leon, Mexico. The 10th player to win multiple titles this year edges up to No. 150, closing in on a career-high of No. 111.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Vasek Pospisil: “It feels great to take the title in Busan, it was a long trip and great way to cap it off,” said the Canadian. “I worked on the right things in the days leading up to the event and I really got into a nice flow. I was serving extremely well so It was tough for my opponents to break. It put pressure on them and that gave me a bit more breathing space. I’m glad to be back in the Top 100 and playing at a high level again.”
Steve Darcis: “I had a tough start to the week, but I managed to fight. My game improved match after match, before a very good performance in the semis (d. De Greef). I was down a lot in the final, so I am very happy to win this final, at my club, it feels great.”
Adrian Menendez-Maceiras: “It feels great, I had a very tough week,” said the Spaniard. “I had three matches going the distance in the earlier rounds, mentally I was exhausted, but my physical condition is great. My recovery was perfect and I felt a lot better from the semi-finals onwards, so it was an unbelievable feeling to take the title.
”I’m in the best form of my career, the title in Leon proved I can win tournaments. Now I’m more relaxed and happy on court, so I need to keep working, to keep enjoying my passion.”
A LOOK AHEAD
A $50,000 clay-court event in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, debuts on the ATP Challenger Tour, with top seed Konstantin Kravchuk targeting a fourth Challenger title. Over to Mestre, Italy, for the €43,000 event and Australian John Millan leads the field. Gianluigi Quinzi will hope to go deep, having qualified for the main draw on home soil.
View Draws & Watch Free Live Streams
ATP CHALLENGER TOUR ON TWITTER: The ATP Challenger Tour has launched a dedicated Twitter account for the latest news and information about players and events. Follow @ATPChallenger at twitter.com/ATPChallenger.
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka is planning to play at Wimbledon as she returns to tennis following the birth of her son.
The Belarusian, 27, has not played since last year’s French Open in May. and gave birth to son Leo in December.
Wimbledon starts on 3 July, and two-time Australian Open winner Azarenka said she is “ready to start competing” and plans to play in a warm-up event.
“Leo kinda said he wants to see London and Wimbledon,” she said.
Azarenka initially intended to return at the Bank of the West Classic at the end of July, but is now planning to play in one of the grass-court warm-up events prior to Wimbledon.
Under WTA rules, she is eligible to retain her ranking as world number six, if she is ready to play her first tournament within 12 months of giving birth.
World number two Serena Williams, 35, announced her pregnancy in April.
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