Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova bids farewell to 'the best tournament'
Her Wimbledon farewell was a 6–3, 6–1 loss to 10th-seeded Emma Navarro of the US on No. 1 Court. 'This place holds the best memories I could wish for,' an emotional Kvitova said in an on-court interview that is usually granted to the match winner. 'I never dreamed of winning a Wimbledon, and I won it twice. This is something very special.'
'I will miss Wimbledon for sure,' she continued. 'I will miss tennis. I will miss you fans. But I'm ready for the next chapter in life as well, and I can't wait to be back as a member.'
Kvitova, who accepted a wild-card invitation, missed last year's tournament while on maternity leave. The 24-year-old Navarro said Kvitova has been an incredible player and obviously won this tournament twice and then had a kid and came back, which is definitely an inspiring story from her end.
In 2011, Kvitova beat Maria Sharapova 6–3, 6–4 in the final. Three years later, Kvitova earned her second trophy, defeating Eugenie Bouchard 6–3, 6–0 in the title match.
'I think it's the best tournament in the world,' she said. The US Open, she assures, will be her last one. 'I am sure,' Kvitova said, noting it's not just the toll on her body. 'The motivation–it's different than it was before.'
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