Kvitova Beats Sharapova to Win First Wimbledon

Petra Kvitova beat former champion and tournament favorite Maria Sharapova

Wimbeldon Tennis Results

in the Wimbledon final to win her first major tennis title.

Kvitova defeated the Russian, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court at the All England Club in southwest London. Kvitova, 21, sunk to her knees after she won her first major title with an ace. She is the first Czech woman to win Wimbledon since 1998, when Jana Novotna took the title. Novotna watched from the royal box.

“It’s hard to find some words, standing here with the trophy and see some of the great players in the royal box” Kvitova said in a court-side interview. “Of course I was nervous, but I felt I could win Wimbledon.”

The lefthander’s path to her first major championship had been cleared when defending champion Serena Williams and five- time winnerVenus Williams both lost in the fourth round. Serena had beaten Kvitova in the semifinals last year. The Williams sisters, who before today had taken nine of the past 11 singles titles at the All England Club, had only played one tournament before Wimbledon after long injury-related lay-offs. Kim Clijsters, the reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open champion from Belgium, was forced to pull out of Wimbledon with an injury.

Surprised

“I was surprised how I was feeling on the court because I was focused only on the point and on the game and not on the final and the medal,” Kvitova said in a news conference.

“She was hitting really powerful and hitting winners from all over the court,” Sharapova told reporters. “She made a defensive shot into an offensive one. I just kind of laid on a lot of those shots. She was just more aggressive than I was, hit deeper and harder, and got the advantage in the points.”

Sharapova, 24, had been trying to add a second Wimbledon championship to the one she captured as a 17-year-old seven years ago, before a shoulder injury threatened the career that has made her the best-paid woman in sports.

“Besides the fact that I lost, this is a big step for me, being here in the final,” Sharapova said. “I’m improving this year. That gives me a tremendous amount of confidence for the rest of the year.”

Kvitova lost her opening service game, then immediately broke back. In the third game, Sharapova had another break point, but the Czech took it back and won the game with a forehand. With Kvitova leading 3-2, the Russian had two double faults in a row to lose the game. Sharapova continued to struggle with her serve and Kvitova had a set point at 5-2 before the Russian held. With triple set point, Kvitova took her first opportunity to win the set.