Sport May–June 2012 | www.bridge-online.cz Czech Star Interview with Petra Kvitová

Petra Kvitová (born 1990) entered the world of professional tennis in 2006, and since then she has won some very prestigious tournaments, including the famous Wimbledon. In 2011, she ranked as the second best female tennis player in the world.

You are almost at the top of the world tennis ranking. What do you need to do to become the queen of tennis? I’m not sure how you decide who the queen is. I must train hard and prepare for each tournament and match. I think only about matches and tournaments and do not care about rankings. I leave that to the journalists.

How long have you been playing tennis? Since I was a really young child. I always went with my dad and brothers to the tennis courts, and I started picking up a racket and ball. I was probably about four years old – so I can say I have been playing tennis since Petra Kvitová is currently about that age. ranked world no. 3.

the rest of your life. Yet you decided to finish secondary school (gymnázium Mikuláše I don’t want to go to Petra Kvitová’s Koperníka in Bílovec). Rome and only know most important Education is definitely important – not just the language skills but also to know a bit where the is. victories about different subjects. One should have Wimbledon (2011) London – the most good general knowledge. I don’t want to go famous tennis championship in the world to Rome and only know where the tennis (Kvitová). court is. Fed Cup (2011) Moscow – long-term competition of female teams (Kvitová, You travel around the globe; you meet all Šafářová, Hradecká, Peschkeová) When did you realise that you wanted to kinds of people with different opinions, become a great tennis player – and that you WTA Tour Championships (2011) Istanbul religions and nationalities. Do you behave could do it? – female tennis tournament (Kvitová) like a European or do you adjust to their I can’t really say there was a particular (2012) – mixed team culture? date or an event. My career gradually tournament (Kvitová, Berdych) I deal with them the way I was brought developed. With my parents and later with up, so I guess as a European. The world is my Prostějov trainers I realised that I could being globalised and we rarely visit places go further and further. which would be untouched by mixes of One cannot do without the other. You various cultures. Do you have a tennis role model? cannot achieve great success only with talent It’s Martina Navrátilová – she comes or only with training. Both are necessary. Are you cosmopolitan, not caring where you from the same country as I do, and she’s also play and live, or are you a patriot? left‑handed. It was an honour for me that she Do you think of tennis as a job or I’m definitely a patriot! It’s wonderful watched some of my matches and praised entertainment? when you win the Fed Cup and listen to me. We met at the Wimbledon Hall of Fame It’s a job for me, seven days a week, three the Czech national anthem. in winter, and it was a fantastic moment and hundred days a year. But of course I enjoy it, Jakub Turek (CR) a great experience to talk with her. otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do it. www.horydoly.cz Petra Kvitová is on Facebook. She posts in both How much of your success can you attribute How much do you value education? You earn Czech and English. to talent and how much to training? millions of dollars, so you are secured for http://www.facebook.com/petrakvitovaofficial