Farewell Petra Kvitova: Retires from professional tennis after US Open first round loss

Petra Kvitova's professional tennis career is over. The former two time Wimbledon champion has bid farewell to the sport at the US Open losing comfortably to Diane Parry 6-1, 6-0 in just under an hour on Grandstand.

What was perhaps alarming was the lack of crowd on Grandstand at the US Open with Kvitova shunted onto a Monday morning slot at Flushing Meadows instead of being given perhaps a better spot and a farewell befitting.

But despite being well beaten by Parry and her tennis career coming to a final end, Kvitova ends as one of the best of the modern era. She has won 31 WTA titles, two Wimbledon crowns, the WTA Finals, nine WTA 1000 titles and is a former World No.2.

This in an era with players such as Angelique Kerber, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka among others. She managed to stem the tide throughout and still go on to seal multiple majors with perhaps scope for even more had her career gone a different direction.

This also after doctors feared that she would never play again after being stabbed in her left hand during a home invasion. She went on to win 12 more titles after that showing the true resilience of a tennis champion. Her victory in Miami in particular as her final title proved that she still very much had the tools in her locker prior to becoming a mother.

Clear that the time has come to say goodbye

She returned though and in a similar story to Angelique Kerber for instance, it was clear that Kvitova wasn't the same force and that she wasn't going to get back to her best. Only really a few have done it but many have been a lot younger such as Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic in recent times. But such was the love of the sport that Kvitova had that she decided to give it one more go.

Speaking earlier this week though she admitted that it was time to say goodbye even though she missed it a lot. She will not be going into coaching though despite the likely floating of that idea by people as soon as a player retires. Very much not desperate to retire and not desperate to return either in that capacity.

"I am clear that the time has come to say goodbye. There has been enough tennis in my life, but I will miss it a lot. This sport has given me everything; I feel very fortunate to have experienced things that most people in the world cannot imagine. Being in the spotlight in a full stadium, battling the ups and downs that occur in a match, challenging myself... These have been incredible years; I will always love this sport. I want to stay linked to tennis, but not as a coach," she said earlier this week about leaving the sport.

Perhaps given it is her worst Grand Slam in comparison to Wimbledon. Kvitova also said that she wanted to play in all of the Grand Slams again prior to retiring hence why Flushing Meadows was the end point. "I wanted to experience the energy that permeates this tournament. When I returned after becoming a mother, I told myself that I had to compete once more, at least in all the Grand Slams."

Next for Parry is the winner of the opening game on Arthur Ashe today in Madison Keys or Renata Zarazua in a true no mercy display. Albeit given that Parry has long been known as a bit of a giant killer, it is at no odds that she would seal a win like this.

Match Statistics Kvitova vs. Parry