Kvitova on Madrid challenge: 'It's almost like a Grand Slam'
MADRID, Spain - In a season marked by the success of the younger generation of WTA stars, 29-year-old World No.2 Petra Kvitova has been holding it down for the veterans. In a season that has already seen three teenage champions, as well as the tour's biggest titles won by players aged 22-and-under, Kvitova is doing her best to fend off the young upstarts.
"We're seeing more younger players, like Anisimova, Bencic, Vondrousova from Czech Republic," Kvitova told reporters at All Access Hour ahead of the Mutua Madrid Open. "It's nice to see new faces for sure.
"Hopefully it's tough for them to get through us like we had a really tough time getting through the older ones."
READ: Navratilova - Kvitova the one to beat in Madrid
The Czech leftie sits at No.1 on the Porsche Race to Shenzhen and became the first player to two titles this season, winning her first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix trophy a week ago.
The defending champion at this week's Mutua Madrid Open, Kvitova is bidding for WTA history. No woman has won a single Premier Mandatory four times. In going for a successful title defense, Kvitova is bidding for her fourth Madrid title.
READ: Madrid draw analysis - Kvitova's historic bid, while contenders fight fitness cloud
Modest as ever, Kvitova giggled when she was asked what her goals were for the week in Madrid.
"I have no idea," Kvitova told reporters at All Access Hour ahead of the Mutua Madrid Open. "I'm going to try to play good tennis and we will see, but we know everyone is playing here and everybody is so strong and getting ready for clay.
"The balls are flying more [because of the altitude], which means I can go for it and it's tougher for the opponent. The courts are not sliding that much as well. I'm not a big slider so I don't have to slide at all."
Asked what the key was to winning Madrid, a tournament with unique conditions due to the combination of altitude and balls, Kvitova laughed.
"Winning six matches!" she said. "It's almost like a Grand Slam over [eight] days."
"[You have to be] ready for the first round, for sure. The clay season just started so you don't know what's going to happen. And stay healthy, for sure."
"I'm not really saying I'm a clay person, so for me it's unbelievable [to win three clay titles in the last 12 months].
"Knowing that I can play well on the clay, it's good to know as well. I don't think I have the best game for the clay, but somehow I'm playing good."
READ: WTA Insider Clay Court Power Rankings - Kvitova surges after Stuttgart
After two clay titles last season in Madrid and Prague and starting her clay season this year with the title in Stuttgart, Kvitova now ranks at No.4 on the WTA Insider Clay Court Power Rankings. Clay remains her least favored surface, but Kvitova grew up on the clay and her power game is such that, when her movement is on point, the surface simply doesn't matter.
"I do have titles on each surface, which is great," Kvitova said. "I think I improved my movement on all surfaces, as well on the clay. Changing some gameplan and tactics a little bit on each surface is probably the key."
Kvitova opens her tournament in Madrid against Sofia Kenin in the first round on Saturday.
