US Open 2019: Kvitova makes US Open exit and admits she may have rushed tour return
Despite a second-round exit at the US Open, Petra Kvitova expressed satisfaction with her grand slam performances in 2019.
Petra Kvitova conceded she might have returned too early from the arm injury that kept her out of the French Open, as her grand slam season ended with a second-round defeat to Andrea Petkovic at the US Open.
The two-time Wimbledon champion reached the final at the Australian Open this year before being forced to pull out of Roland Garros in May.
Kvitova did not play any further tournaments prior to Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round before losing to Johanna Konta.
The world number six was undone at Flushing Meadows by a player she has consistently had problems with, Petkovic going 6-5 up in the career head-to-head with Kvitova by condemning her to a 6-4 6-4 defeat.
Andrea Petkovic on her now 6-5 record vs. Petra Kvitova:
“It’s kind of her own fault because I respect and admire her so much that I’m always on my best behavior.
“I accept every winner she hits and that gives me the power to be in the moment and play my best tennis.” #USOpen
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 29, 2019
Kvitova revealed she has swelling on her arm but said the mental pain of skipping Wimbledon would have been more troubling than a physical complaint.
“Maybe I should take one more week before Wimby, but that means I’m going to skip Wimby, which, you know, on the mental side would be much tougher, I think,” Kvitova told a news conference.
“Maybe the arm would be much better right now, but I didn’t feel any pain. It’s just getting swollen, which means something is there but I don’t know what is there.”
On her performance against Petkovic, Kvitova added: “I don’t think I played that badly. I did have my chances, for sure, but somehow I just couldn’t make it.”
Asked to assess her performances in majors this year, the Czech left-hander said: “Overall I’m pretty happy, for sure. I had to withdraw from the French Open, which wasn’t really a nice thing but that happens in the tennis career, so I’m taking it.
“I reached the final of the Australian Open, definitely the highlight of it. I could have missed Wimbledon but I was able to play and reached a good result over there. Overall, I think it was OK.”
