STUTTGART, Germany - Petra Kvitova continues to lay down the marker in 2019. Playing in her tour-leading fourth final of the season, Kvitova became the first woman to two titles this season, defeating Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-6(2) to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The win moves Kvitova back to No.2 in the rankings on Monday and her successful Stuttgart run moved her tour-best record to 24-6.
"I came back playing tennis and suddenly I'm just, I don't know, I won a second title and played the final of the Australian Open," Kvitova said on the WTA Insider Podcast. "I think it's just kind of surprising me everything that is happening in my life sometimes.
"I think every day being on the tennis court and being in the gym and doing your rehab and recovery, that's everything that I'm always putting so much time in and I'm 100% ready there. It's not really easy to do it every day.
"That's probably what I'm just seeing. I'm just picking up everything that I've been doing in the practices and in those days as well. So I'm just seeing the hard work is paying off.
"I'm proud of the consistency I have as well. I lost the first round against Venus [at Indian Wells] but that was a really difficult match. But overall I think I was able to play well in every match almost. I played well and that's what I'm trying to still build on."
Listen to Kvitova's full interview on the WTA Insider Podcast below:
WTA Insider: How are you feeling after winning your second title of the year and first Stuttgart title?
Kvitova: It's great. I'm so happy for it for sure. I'm really glad. You know I lost two finals in the previous months and finally I made it. It was the third time lucky.
And I think it was a great match today. Playing a final against Anett, playing her it's tough. She improved a lot and I'm just glad that I was able to find a way to win it. My serve really helped me today a lot. Having this beautiful trophy here in Stuttgart, it's great. First tournament on the clay. So actually maybe I surprised myself a little bit.
WTA Insider: Why did you surprise yourself?
Kvitova: Well you know, being on the clay. I had a great two weeks of preparation on clay but of course the matches are just different. For me, especially the second match against Anastasia Sevastova was pretty difficult mentally. I didn't play well in the first set but I was able to turn it around and that I think really helped me for the next days.
First tournament on the clay and I won it. So I'm really trying and it's great.
WTA Insider: We've discussed many times over the years that I believe you can play well on clay and win Roland Garros.
Kvitova: Come on, Courtney, you know how it is with the Grand Slams (laughs). Don't put the pressure on me, please. I know that you are thinking I can play well on the clay. I'm still trying every year, doing the same.
I like to be on the clay, actually. I've had success in the past. Being on the clay it's something really, not unusual, but it's just something different to me compared to hardcourts or grass courts, which I probably know that I'm playing well on it.
But on the clay it's just something a bit different with the movement. It's bouncing a little bit higher, and kicks from the serves and everything, it's just a little bit different. But I'm still trying to improve myself in every way and I think it's just showing up and paying off on the court when my movement is better and I do have a little bit different game plans. It doesn't matter what's happening on the court, so that's nice.
WTA Insider: You're No.1 on the Porsche Race to Shenzhen and you'll be No.2 on the rankings on Monday. You've made four finals this year, won two titles, and you've won more matches than anyone so far. What are you most proud of?
Kvitova: You know for me it's a bit weird to hear this, all those things. I came back playing tennis and suddenly I'm just, I don't know, I won a second title and played the final of the Australian Open. I think it's just kind of surprising me everything that is happening in my life sometimes.
I think every day being on the tennis court and being in the gym and doing your rehab and recovery, that's everything that I'm always putting so much time in and I'm 100% ready there. It's not really easy to do it every day.
That's probably what I'm seeing. I'm just picking up everything that I've been doing in the practices and in those days as well. So I'm just seeing the hard work is paying off.
I'm proud of the consistency I have as well. I lost the first round against Venus [at Indian Wells] but that was a really difficult match. Overall I think I was able to play well in every match almost. I played well and that's what I'm trying to still build on.
WTA Insider: Last year after you won Dubai we sat down for the Champions Corner and discussed whether or not we were seeing the best Petra Kvitova on the court. You weren't so sure then. Fifteen months later, are we seeing Peak Petra?
Kvitova: I think it's just a different kind of way. You know when I played well before and I won those two Grand Slams on the grass it's just different. Being on the grass and winning the title, it was something really unbelievable.
But playing this year the final of the Australian Open was something really special. It's on hardcourts. It's different compared to grass. On the hardcourts your playing more rallies and everything. On the grass you just probably hit something and it's just in, and then you won. It is just different.
But compared to my past Petra I feel great. I think I improved definitely my fitness. I do have more game plans which I can use it in match. I didn't have my coach here so I was just by myself today and previous matches. I just had to really find a way to win it which I'm proud of it as well.
So I'm working on it as well and I'm just glad you know that I have great people around me who are helping me to get better. I mean, I'm playing good tennis.
WTA Insider: We've seen you roll through draws when you're playing well. When you look back on the 27 titles you won, do any of them stick out as being particularly grueling weeks?
Kvitova: Maybe Madrid last year. I can't really say those matches were really heavy, but I came from Prague straight away from the final. And the next day I already played against Lesia Tsurenko and I won that match and I had a day off and played again. I was just mentally and physically so so tired and exhausted.
That's the tournament probably that was kind of physically and mentally very, very tough for me.
WTA Insider: Speaking of Madrid, you'll be heading off to defend your title next week.
Kvitova: It's amazing. In the life, the time is flying. Unbelievable.
Yeah, and Madrid is coming and I have to defend my title. You know, that's special in the tennis, that you win the tournament and you know that next year you're going to defend it, which, it's a lot of points. I'm so glad that I don't have it in my mind that I just won Stuttgart and I just need to defend it next year. So I'm just really enjoying the moment that I won and whatever happens happens next year. So I'm glad that I am kind of this person.
And yeah, Madrid is coming. It's a huge, huge one, it's a lot of points, but I like playing there. I just had a good result from here, so if I lose in the first round then I lost and that's it. It's another time and another week for us.
WTA Insider: So you drove here to Stuttgart and you'll drive away from Stuttgart having won a Porsche. How are you as a driver?
Kvitova: I'm a very good driver! I really like to drive. I'm driving since I was 18 so I had to actually move around the Czech Republic from the beginning. So I think I learned myself to drive. I'm not crazy for sure. Sometimes I like to go faster but not that much. I never reach 200 kilometers per hour or so I'm still normal. Come on, I'm blonde. You know blonde girls in the car.....
But I'm okay, I'm okay. Don't worry guys if you see me somewhere on the street. I'm patient as well if I have to. So I think it's very similar to the kind of match anyway. Sometimes somebody is distracting you but you still have to be calm and do your thing.
