Petra Kvitova breaks down in heart-wrenching runner-up speech
“It’s crazy. I can’t believe I just played in a final of a grand slam again.”
Petra Kvitova’s second career has been made to wait for a first title but the new world No.2 is a champion just for getting back on the court.
Little more than two years after surviving a violent attack in her own home, the 28-year-old took rising star Naomi Osaka to three sets in a dramatic Australian Open final.
Afterwards, the entire Rod Laver Arena crowd stood and cheered to acknowledge her incredible effort.
"We didn't even know if I would be able to hold the racquet again."@Petra_Kvitova's comeback story is one in a million 🌟#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/XLz2tc703i
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2019
“To my team, thank you for sticking with me,” Kvitova said.
“We didn’t know if I was able to hold a racquet again. Every single day you were supporting me and staying positive for me, which I really needed.
“It probably wasn’t very easy so thank you very much.”
While Osaka was a deserving winner, Kvitova let slip two big chances to claim the championship herself.
The first set was played on her terms, but she botched the big points, losing all five of her break points before Osaka won the tiebreak.
Having claimed the second set, she took all the momentum into the decider – winning 23 of 27 points into Osaka’s first service game of the third set – but dropped her level once more.
In any case, Kvitova looked genuinely delighted when she received her runners-up plate.
“It’s a big honour to hold this beautiful trophy as well. It’s been a while since being in a final for me,” she said.
Osaka was deferential to the soon-to-be world No.2, who hadn’t dropped a set until the final and looked to have returned as a major force on tour.
"Huge congrats to Petra. I've always wanted to play you. You've been through so much, honestly I wouldn't have wanted this to be our first match."@Naomi_Osaka_ is all class 🙏#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/8WxY6PVNc2
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2019
“I’ve always wanted to play you and you have been through so much,” Osaka said.
“I wouldn’t have wanted this to be our first match.
“Huge congrats to you and your team. You are really amazing and I am really honoured to have played you in the final of a grand slam.”
The scenes were all a far cry from this time last year, when Kvitova was knocked out in the first round in Melbourne.
Was she going to return to the top? Nobody knew at that point but the Czech has now proved her staying power.
with AAP