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On Tuesday, July 1, Czech tennis player, Petra Kvitova bowed out of what was her final Wimbledon appearance. The two-time Wimbledon champion, made an exit after a defeat to Emma Navarro of the United States in the Round of 128 after gaining a wildcard entry. Soon after her defeat, i n an emotionally overwhelming moment, the crowd cheered and applauded the career of former champion .
Following a 6-3 , 6-1 defeat in the Round 1 , she made an emotional speech after which the crowd applauded the former World No. 2 for her career and the reputation that she had. Speaking after her defeat, the Czech international said, “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.”
This place holds special memory for me: Kvitova
An on-court interview, which is usually granted to the match winner, was granted to Kvitova as she bid adieu to the grass court . In that Kvitova said, “This place holds special memories for me . I never dreamed of winning a Wimbledon and I won it twice. This is something very special.” It is to be noted that while this was her final appearance in Wimbledon, she is set to retire after the US Open 2025.
In the post match interview, the winner of the game , Emma Navarro also heaped praises of Kvitova . S he said that 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.” Wimbledon also honoured the Czech player, writing, “To a two-time #Wimbledon champion, thank you for the memories, @Petra_Kvitova.”
In 2011, Kvtiova beat Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Three years later, Kvitova earned her second trophy, defeating Eugene Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 in the title match. The crowd celebrated her by giving her a standing ovation as a token of thanks for the memories she gave in her career.
