Kvitova fighting back after stabbing

IF HER first match on grass since being attacked at home with a knife is anything to go by, Petra Kvitova may add another Wimbledon title this year. Six months to the day since suffering serious injury to the nerves of her dominant left hand when stabbed by a burglar, Kvitova dispatched Tereza Smitkova at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham in her third match back. Kvitova’s 6-2, 6-3 victory over her Czech compatriot yesterday may have been anticipated due to the 151-place gap in world rankings but it will give her confidence after the attack left her with career-threatening injuries. The two-time Wimbledon winner said after the match that her hand will never be 100 per cent, but sealed victory with an ace out wide, having found a consistent weapon in her forehand. Given Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are absent and the women’s field is more open than ever, Kvitova could defy the odds to emerge as a genuine contender and add to her titles from 2011 and 2014. ‘I didn’t want a break, but somebody took it from me,’ said Kvitova (below), who played two matches at the French Open. ‘But I’m always trying to look positive, so everything bad is for something good. So maybe I love tennis even more than before because I know what it means. I missed the fight and adrenaline during matches. So I’m happy I have it back. ‘There was a time when nobody knew if I would be able to play again, so I’m appreciative. Even if I lose, I will always smile. My hand is not 100 per cent. It will never be. But I’m happy I didn’t have to change my technique.’ Kvitova faces Great Britain’s Naomi Broady next and Jo Konta joins them in the second round after beating Lesia Tsurenko in straight sets, but the British No 1 was made to work for victory. Tsurenko was 30-0 up when serving to take the match into a decider but Konta responded and won 6-3, 7-6. Konta called for a medical time-out at the start of the second set but refused to explain why. ‘Everything is fine,’ the world No 7 said afterwards.