Skip to main content
Tennis

Kvitova advances to Birmingham final against Barty

Petra Kvitova reached the final of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham on Saturday when her Czech compatriot Lucie Safarova retired early in the second set with a leg injury. Kvitova had just taken the first set 6-1 and was leading 1-0 when Safarova called it a day.

Petra Kvitova reached her first final on the circuit since suffering career threatening wounds to her left hand.
Petra Kvitova reached her first final on the circuit since suffering career threatening wounds to her left hand. Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Advertising

“It's tough to play against a friend like Lucie," Kvitova said. "It's hard to think about yourself and not your opponent. I am sorry for her and hope she soon gets a bit better.”

Kvitova returned to competitive action at the French Open in Paris in May only six months after she suffered tendon and nerve injuries to her left hand while defending herself from an attacker in her home in the Czech Republic.

She reached the second round in Paris. But that was on clay – never one of her best surfaces. However on the lawns in Birmingham, she showed the full range of strokes that have brought her two titles at Wimbledon.

"I'm pleased with how I am playing,” added the 27-year-old. “I love playing finals. I like big matches and I've missed it over the last six months. So this is quite a dream."

Kvitova will be the favourite in Sunday’s final. The seventh seed will take on Ashleigh Barty. The world number 77 upset the former Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza 3-6 6-4 6-3 to reach her first Premier Level final.

The 21-year-old unseeded Australian is the first player from the country to reach the final since Jenny Byrne in 1992.

She conceded that she faces a tough challenge in the final. “I don’t think you can find any tennis player who isn’t happy to see Petra back and being successful. She’s one of the nicest girls you’ll ever meet.

“She’s won Wimbledon a couple of times and is amazing on grass. It is going to be a good battle for me.”

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.