Sydney International: Former champ Petra Kvitova will hit Sydney in search of form

LESS than 12 months after being stabbed in a home invasion, dual Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova plans to use the Sydney International to finally return to her world-beating best.

Petra Kvitova hopes to use Sydney as a launching pad. Picture: AFP

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LESS than 12 months after being stabbed in a home invasion, dual Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova plans to use the Sydney International in January to finally return to her world-beating best.

Last January, Kvitova was a victim of a home invasion in the Czech Republic, suffering severe cuts to her left hand after a confrontation with the knife-wielding intruder.

It took Kvitova until May to rejoin the tennis circuit, losing in the first round at the French Open.

Petra Kvitova hopes to use Sydney as a launching pad. Picture: AFP

Her return to top form has been slower than she would have liked and this year was the first time since 2010 that she hadn’t won a premium tour event, despite winning the Birmingham Open beating Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in June.

Kvitova ended the year ranked 29 but did make the semi-finals of the China Open last month, losing to eventual winner Caroline Garcia.

The 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon champion is single-minded about her return to the top of the rankings in 2018.

Petra Kvitova addresses the media after surgery following the attack. Picture: AP

“Sydney is a beautiful city and the tournament has attracted a top field next year which will make it a great test before the Australian Open, Kvitova, the 2015 champion who withdrew from last year’s event due to illness, said.

“I know that I have no points to defend in the first half of the year so I’m seeing 2018 as a fresh start and a chance to embrace my ‘second career’, if I can call it that.

“The conditions in Australia are always great and suit my game so hopefully I can find my best tennis early in the season.”

Kvitova is no stranger to the Sydney International, having won the tournament in 2015.

For ticket information, go to www.sydneyinternational.com.au

Originally published as Sydney International: Former champ Petra Kvitova will hit Sydney in search of form