Petra Kvitova, the two-times Wimbledon champion, has undergone four hours of potentially career-saving surgery on her left hand after being attacked by a knife-wielding intruder in her apartment this morning.
The 26-year-old Czech said she was “fortunate to be alive” after receiving wounds to the fingers on the hand with which she holds the racket as she defended herself during the terrifying ordeal in the city of Prostejov.
“The injury is severe and I will need to see specialists, but if you know anything about me I am strong and I will fight thisPetra Kvitova
Kvitova, who won the ladies’ singles title at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014, was taken to hospital in nearby Brno.
“Thank you for all your heartwarming messages,” said Kvitova in a statement posted on her social media accounts. “As you may have already heard, today I was attacked in my apartment by an individual with a knife.
“In my attempt to defend myself, I was badly injured on my left hand. I am shaken, but fortunate to be alive. The injury is severe and I will need to see specialists, but if you know anything about me I am strong and I will fight this.
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“Thank you all again for your love and support and now I would appreciate some privacy while I focus on my recovery.”
The attack took place around 8.30am. According to reports in the Czech media, the attacker gained entry to Kvitova’s apartment under the false identity of a maintenance worker. He took 5,000 Czech Korunas (£156) before fleeing.
Police have said they are searching for a man aged around 35 years old. Karel Tejkal, a spokesman for the Czech Republic Fed Cup team, told local media that this was “a random criminal act”.
It seems very unlikely that Kvitova will recover in time for the Australian Open in Melbourne, which starts on January 16. The world No 11 was already suffering from a stress fracture in her left foot and had withdrawn from the Hopman Cup warm-up event just hours before the attack today.
Kvitova won her first grand slam title at the age of 21 at Wimbledon in 2011, beating Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the final, before reaching a career-high ranking of No 2 later that year. She beat Eugenie Bouchard in 2014 to claim a second All England Club championship.
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A spokesperson for Wimbledon said: “The thoughts of everyone at Wimbledon are with Petra Kvitova, and we send her our best wishes for her recovery.”
Kvitova is well-liked within the locker room on the women’s tour. Recently she won the WTA sportsmanship award, which is voted for by players and recognises a player’s professionalism, attitude and sense of fair play, for the fifth time in six years.
Madison Keys, the opponent whom Kvitova beat to win the bronze medal in the ladies’ singles at the Rio Olympics in the summer, tweeted: “So upset hearing the news about Petra Kvitova. Hands down one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. All my thoughts [are] with her.”
Martina Navratilova, the nine-time Wimbledon champion who was also born in what is now the Czech Republic, tweeted: “Just finding out about @Petra_Kvitova and the awful stabbing and injury to her hand- pulling for you Petra, všichni držíme palce [all fingers crossed]!!! Xoxo”
The incident brings back chilling memories of the stabbing of Monica Seles in 1993. The former world No 1 was knifed in the back by Günter Parche, an obsessed fan of her rival Steffi Graf, as she sat in her courtside chair during a match in Hamburg and was absent from the tour for two years as a result.
