Wimbledon 2025: Petra Kvitova bids farewell to All England Club

Belinda Bencic once famously coined the hash-tag ‘#petrasvictims’ on social media after she was handed a heavy beating by the Czech lefty at the 2019 Australian Open.

A round later in Melbourne, Amanda Anisimova suffered a similar fate before posting on social media: “I got a tennis lesson today, but at least it was from one of the best in the world hey.”

Bencic commented on the post: “Welcome to the #petrasvictims club.”

Everyone knew, if Kvitova is on, they very likely had no chance against her.

The other side of Kvitova was the one that inspired the term ‘P3tra’, as a nod to the many times she took the scenic route to victory, stretching herself to three sets instead of closing in two. Those were battles Kvitova mostly fought against herself. And it was always a wonder how she overcame her demons to get some of those wins.

The 35-year-old played her final Wimbledon this week, and will officially hang up her racquet at this summer’s US Open.

As she gets set to bid farewell to tennis, Kvitova reflected on what it was like navigating a career that oscillated between two such distinct personas.

“It was always up and downs in my career,” the former world No.2 told reporters at the All England Club.

“I could play amazing tennis and I could play terrible. But I was always fighting. So, let's put it this way. Even if you don't see it, I always fight in myself. Maybe sometimes with myself.

But that's what I've been taught from being a kid to fight until the last point. So even when I played amazing or very bad, I was always fighting.”

So which side does she relate to more?

“It’s a really tough question. Because both sides are me,” she said with a smile.

A two-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic bronze medallist, six-time Billie Jean King Cup winner, and WTA Finals champion – Kvitova built a resume that makes her a shoo-in for a place in the Hall of Fame in five years’ time when she becomes eligible for enshrinement.

But perhaps what she’ll be remembered for the most is how universally liked she was by everyone on tour, in the locker room and beyond.

After her last match at Wimbledon – a defeat to 10th-seeded Emma Navarro on Tuesday – many of her peers were moved to tears watching her give one final speech on No.1 Court.

“I saw it in the locker room before my match. I was actually tearing up, had goosebumps when she was speaking, so it was a super special moment,” Bencic told rolandgarros.com.

“My favourite Petra moment, she probably doesn't remember, but that's probably the first time I played her in Tokyo, 2013, I think.

“I got a wild card and then won a match against Daria Saville, and then was able to play Petra, which, of course, was huge for me. I was 16, 17, and was able to play her. Now we are actually really good friends, fellow mums.

“She's really one of my closest friends now, so it's super nice. She was my idol, and now we're just very close.”

Maria Sakkari made sure to give Kvitova a hug when she saw her on Tuesday and the Greek heaped praise on the retiring Czech.

“She was quite a unique player. First of all, she's an amazing person. That, for me, will always stay as the number one thing about her,” said Sakkari.

“Then, okay, her tennis was so unique. Because when she was on, it was good luck. You had no chance. I think her career was incredible. She's not done yet, obviously. She has a few more tournaments to play. But I think she's in a very good place.

“She has her family. She's achieved incredible things. She looks happy. She looks like it was probably the right time to do it. She won't have doubts doing it.

“I just saw her now, coming here. I gave her a hug and I said, I'm so proud that I could be a very small part of your journey. For me, she will always stay as one of the players that one of the most liked in the locker room, by far. Always smiling. Probably one of the most talented as well, in the latest years.”

Paula Badosa said Kvitova was one of her favourite players growing up, Madison Keys said she was one of her favourite players to watch, while Ons Jabeur hailed her mental strength, especially in the manner she recovered from a knife attack at home and returned to tennis before fully regaining sensation in her wounded hand.

“She's really an amazing player and she has a lot of courage,” said Jabeur.

“Mentally, she's really strong. What happened to her at her apartment and then coming back, that's really unbelievable. I have a lot of respect for Petra and I'm glad that I have shared the court with her.”

Kvitova is fully at peace with her decision to walk away from tennis, despite the fact that her return from maternity leave was short-lived.

She got to play one last match in front of the Wimbledon crowd and takes with her over 15 years’ worth of memories from her happiest hunting ground.

Asked how she hopes she’ll be remembered, Kvitova said: “I hope they're going to remember me as a normal girl from Czech Republic, growing up in a small city with my parents with no money. So, I always will be very humble.

“I always try to play fair play as well. So, I hope that in this case they will remember me like a basically normal human being.”

A normal human being with an extraordinary heart. We’ll be saying this for the next few weeks until her final goodbye: Thank you, Petra!