Recovering from knife attack, Kvitova back at practice
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is back at practice, less than six months after being attacked by a knifewielding intruder.
Kvitova posted a photo on Instagram on Tuesday showing herself swinging a tennis racket.
She included the message: “I hope this picture makes you as happy as it makes me! I am in Monaco and guess what? I’m back on the tennis court, hitting with some proper balls . ... ”
Kvitova has missed all season so far while recovering from surgery on her left, racket-holding hand in December. She was injured during an attack at her home in the Czech Republic.
She said last month that she was signing up for the French Open, which begins May 28, in hopes of competing. But she wasn’t sure whether she would be ready.
Kvitova was the Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014. She climbed as high as No. 2 in the WTA rankings.
Tourneys: Del Potro wins
ESTORIL, PORTUGAL >> Fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro beat Yuichi Sugita of Japan 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Estoril Open on Tuesday.
The former U.S. Open champion hit eight aces and broke Sugita four times to ease to the win in his clay-court debut for the season.
Del Potro, who won the Portuguese tournament in 2011 and 2012, will face American Ryan Harrison next after he beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. MUNICH >> Defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber began his bid for a fourth BMW Open title with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Norwegian wild card Casper Ruud.
Kohlschreiber saved two of the three break points he faced from the 18-year-old Ruud to set up a second-round meeting with Horacio Zeballos of Argentina. PRAGUE >> Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the second round of the Prague Open by beating Misaki Doi of Japan 6-0, 7-5.
Also, third-seeded Barbora Strycova dispatched Julia Goerges of Germany 6-4, 6-0 to play another Czech, qualifier Lucie Hradecka. Fourth-seeded Sam Stosur beat Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 6-3.