Kvitova back to winning ways after maternity comeback

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has claimed her first victory since returning to professional tennis following the birth of her son, defeating Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu in straight sets at the Italian Open.

The 35-year-old Czech, who had lost all four of her matches since her February comeback, triumphed 7-5, 6-1 in Tuesday's (May 6) first-round clash in Rome. The win marks a significant milestone in her return after a 15-month hiatus, during which she welcomed her first child, Petr, in July 2023.

"It's kind of weird that my first win came here," Kvitova told the WTA's website. "I've never played my best tennis in Rome, but it feels much better than losing—that's for sure."

Kvitova, a former world No. 2 and winner of Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, admitted she had doubted whether she would ever return to competitive tennis.

"I was 95% sure I wouldn't come back," she revealed. "I felt like I'd had enough of tennis at the time—I thought, 'I can't do this anymore.' So, we decided to try for a baby."

She kept her plans private until she was certain, adding, "I didn't say anything because it wasn't 100%. But after pregnancy, when I finally got back on court, it felt amazing. I was laughing, hitting smooth shots, and thinking, 'Wow—it's still there!'"

Kvitova, who will next face Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, remains relaxed about her comeback, focusing on enjoyment rather than immediate results.

Also on Tuesday, China's Wang Xiyu was defeated by Arantxa Rus of Netherlands 6-2, 6-2 in the second round of qualifying, failing to make the main draw.

Wang took nearly a three-month break due to injuries after being eliminated in her first match at the Singapore Tennis Open in February. The 24-year-old returned at the Catalonia Open last week, where she lost to Dalma Galfi in the first round. The extended slump has seen her world ranking drop to 135th.