Two-time grand slam champion Petra Kvitova has announced she is pregnant with her first child.
The 33-year-old, who is currently ranked No.17 in the world, shared the news on her Instagram account.
“On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer!” She wrote alongside two pictures of herself and husband Jiri Vanek.
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The post was inundated with comments and likes from current and former players, including retired Australian legend Ash Barty.
“Congratulations ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” Barty, who became a mother last year, wrote.
Kvitova and Vanek, who is Kvitova’s coach, were married last year.
Vanek is a former tennis player and coached former world No.1 Karolina Pliskova before teaming up with Kvitova in 2016.
They became romantically involved in 2021 before Vanek proposed at Wimbledon in 2022.
Kvitova has been a consistent top-20 player on the WTA Tour and reached as high as No.2 in 2011.
She has won Wimbledon twice (2011 and 2014) and was also runner-up to Naomi Osaka in the 2019 Australian Open.
Kvitova’s pregnancy announcement follows Belinda Bencic, who last November revealed she is expecting her first child this year.
It also comes as superstar Naomi Osaka returns to the court following the birth of her child.
The former world No.1 and four-time major champion will begin her comeback at the Brisbane International, drawn to face Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch.
Potential examinations against Karolina Pliskova, Jelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka await on Pat Rafter Arena if the Japanese star can negotiate her first match since September 2022.
Osaka said motherhood had given her greater physical strength but also developed her character.
“I’m a lot more open-minded, a lot more patient,” she said.
“I’m excited to be back. I haven’t worn headphones around the site since I’ve been back.
“I never tried having conversations with other players before, and I think I definitely put a large wall up.
“Now I find myself interacting with people. It’s just really cool.”
– With AAP
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