Petra Kvitova Reveals Why She Returned To Tennis After Being On Maternity Leave
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Petra Kvitova is making a comeback to the WTA Tour at this week's 2025 ATX Open in Austin. The two-time Wimbledon champion described what made her return to tennis and revealed what her expectations are.
Kvitova was on maternity leave for the entire 2024 season, giving birth to a son named Petr. She needed a C-Section during the birth because of complications, making the recovery time longer.
After initially doubting whether she would resume her tennis career after that stressful ordeal, Kvitova announced her return to the sport earlier this month. The 34-year-old (who turns 35 next month) will play at the 2025 Indian Wells Open after that.
In an interview with the WTA, Kvitova said she came back to tennis because of her love for the sport, despite not knowing how long her return from maternity leave will last because she is almost 35.
"I tried to explain to everybody that I came back because I love it. I miss tennis, I love tennis itself since I was four. So, I think the love for the sport took me back to tennis. I missed the hard work, the sweat, that’s why I’m here."
"I don’t know for how long, or how long I’m going to enjoy it or how my body’s going to feel. I think it will be very tough in the beginning. But we’ll see how I manage everything. We’ll see how it goes."
Despite everything Kvitova has achieved over the years, she is not placing any expectations on herself. Just returning to tennis after being on maternity leave and enduring a complicated pregnancy is an achievement in itself.
"I don’t expect anything, basically. I’m here -- that’s already a big deal for me. Sometimes I’m really surprised by myself. Like, why I did it [the comeback]? But I think I would have regretted it if I didn’t come back"
"I’m not putting any goals on myself, I will never play as good as I was playing when I was winning tournaments. Yeah, we’ll see. I want to enjoy myself playing tennis, and I think it will take time."
Kvitova has also been inspired by others returning after maternity leave, such as Naomi Osaka and Belinda Bencic. This is particularly true of the recent 2025 Abu Dhabi Open champion Bencic, who is a good friend of the Czechs.
"Those girls are pretty young still -- of course, I would say my age is different. But we are used to working hard. Even after pregnancy and giving birth we know what to do -- and we’re willing to do it. When you already played well before, you want to be back where you belong, basically."
"Belinda and I are in touch, for sure, and it’s nice she’s playing so well. Her daughter [Bella] is like two-and-a-half months older than our Petr, so that’s fun. She just showed us that it’s possible, coming back after giving birth. That’s a good sign."
Women's tennis is already in a great place, but the return of an outstanding champion like Kvitova makes this season extra special.
