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By the time Petra Kvitova spoke to reporters following a 1-6, 0-6 loss to France’s Diane Parry in the first round at Flushing Meadows — the last tournament for Kvitova before retirement — the 35-year-old was in a good mood, smiling or laughing at some of her own answers. The tears she shed on court right after the 52-minute defeat were no longer flowing.
Kvitova, who said she came down with a case of COVID-19 a few weeks ago and considered pulling out of the U.S. Open, hadn’t expected to be so emotional on Monday.
“Since I woke up this morning, I felt it. I felt it would not be good. I couldn’t eat. I was really nervous. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t swing, I couldn’t do anything. It was really difficult,” she explained, before adding she was ultimately at peace with her decision to call it quits.
After it ended when she sent a backhand return wide, Kvitova began crying. She went over to the stands for a hug and a kiss from her husband, Jiri Vanek, who is also her coach. They became parents in July 2024, when their son, Petr, was born, and Kvitova returned to the tour this season after a 17-month break.
She announced earlier this year that she would stop playing after the US Open.
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