Kvitova to Miss Australian Open After Announcing Pregnancy

Czech player Petra Kvitova, a former Australian Open finalist, announced on Monday that she is expecting her first child with her husband and coach Jiri Vanek and will miss the first Grand Slam of the year, which begins in two weeks. Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, who is 33 years old, did not participate in the current preparation tournaments in Australia, but her name appeared on the entry list for the tournament taking place in Melbourne from January 14 to 28. Kvitova shared the news on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, along with a photo of herself and her husband holding an ultrasound image and baby clothes, stating, "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 welcome a baby into our family this summer." She added on Instagram that she will miss her annual trip to Australia. "I look forward to spending some time at home to prepare for this new and exciting chapter of our lives." Kvitova lost the Australian Open final in 2019 to Naomi Osaka, who returned to competition earlier today after a 15-month absence during which she gave birth to her first child.