By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Petra Kvitova made her much-anticipated return to the WTA Tour, stepping onto the court for the first time in 17 months at the ATX Open held in Austin, Texas.
In a fiercely contested match, Kvitova faced off against Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage, ultimately falling short with a scoreline of 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 after nearly two and a half hours of play.
It was a challenging loss for the 34-year-old Czech star, who had four crucial break points to take a lead at 5-3 in the final set but couldn’t convert. Hats off to Burrage, who fired off a stunning 14 aces and clinched the last three games to seal her comeback victory.
Post-match, Burrage shared her admiration for Kvitova, stating:
Welcome back @Petra_Kvitova 👋💜#ATXOpen pic.twitter.com/2hA4PIa1gh
— wta (@WTA) February 25, 2025
“She’s an absolute champion; I knew I was in for a tough fight,” Burrage commented after the match. “I started off a bit rocky, but Petra played like someone who hadn’t been away for 17 months. She was hitting everything solidly, reminding me of her exceptional skill set.”
“I truly believed she was the same player we all admired before her break. I’m pleased with how I steadied myself, regained my momentum, and pushed through to the end.”
Kvitova is set to head to Indian Wells next, where she has accepted a wild card invitation. With her 35th birthday approaching on March 8, she also plans to participate in the Miami Open, followed by discussions with her husband to strategize for the upcoming clay season.
The two-time Wimbledon victor, who welcomed her son Petr on July 7, is currently without a ranking.
