Petra Kvitova is the first left-handed women’s player to win a Grand Slam title since Monica Seles won the 1996 Australian Open and the first lefty to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish since Martina Navratilova in 1990. Kvitova is the youngest player to win a major since a 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic won the French Open three years ago.
Kvitova, the No.8 seed – the only Top 10 seed in the Open Era never to win a major. She won her first four rounds easily but was pushed to three sets in the quarters and semis. Sharapova hadn’t lost a set all tournament, and beat Kvitova in their previous two meetings.
“It’s hard to find words,” she said. “I still don’t know how I feel. It’s still an unbelievable feeling. Maybe I’ll accept it after… I don’t know… some days. I was so happy at the moment when I won. It’s strange.”
“I like the big matches. I believed I could play very good in the final, and I did play that way. It was about the serve, for sure, and the return. I know that she returns very well, but I knew I could return her serve also. I knew she would make some double faults. On the important points I played well. I returned very well.
Just a year ago Petra had her first Grand Slam breakthrough run to the semifinals. On Saturday Petra Kvitova‘s hard hitting weapons were on display again as she won her first major title at Wimbledon, beating Maria Sharapova in a big-hitting final on Centre Court, 6-3 6-4.
“It’s hard to find words standing here with the trophy and seeing all of the great players in the Royal Box,” Kvitova told Sue Barker on court. “I was nervous, because I thought I could win Wimbledon, but I just focused on each point.”
“I was like I am before a normal match,” she said. But even she conceded to being pleased with how relaxed she was. “I was surprised how I was feeling on court because I was focused only on each point and each game.
The 21-year-old Czech was on fire Saturday. The serve and return of both players dictated the match. Petra got a major break to go up 4-2 in the first set when Sharapova hit two straight double faults at 30-all. Petra then served the set out at love. The second set was tighter as Sharapova and Kvitova traded two breaks early on, but Kvitova broke again for 4-3. Her only ace of the match came at match point to seal it, a fitting end to her amazing run.
Wimbledon.2011 a competition for 6ft+ one dimensional women players…I haven,t watched Womens “Tennis” since Justine had to retire…No flair,no charisma,no VaVaVoom!