"I was 95% that I would never come back": Petra Kvitova makes honest post pregnancy admission after sealing first win back

Petra Kvitova has not found it easy since she returned to the sport just before the Sunshine Double and it has taken months for her to even win a game but she is now back in the winners' circle at the Rome Open.

Kvitova who saw off Irina-Camelia Begu was open that she felt like she would never come back to the sport after pregnancy and said it was 95% in that favour. But while she didn't say anything as it wasn't 100%, it was leaning towards not.

"It's kind of weird that my first one came here," said Kvitova. "I've never played my best tennis here. But it feels much better than losing, that's for sure." 

"I was 95% that I would never come back," she said. "I had enough of tennis at that time. I was like, 'I can't do it any more,' so we decided to try for a baby. I didn't say anything because it wasn't 100%."

The former World No.2 marvelled at her own play knowing full well that she could do what she set out to despite by her own admission having some ground to make up when it comes to her fitness given her age and just becoming a mum.

"When I could do something finally after pregnancy, I played some tennis -- and it felt so good," she recalled. "I was laughing. Every shot I hit smoothly, I was like, 'Wowwww -- it's still there.' It's not in the legs -- but in the hands, it's sometimes very good.

"I'm not as fit as I wanted to be, for sure. But even in practises my game was going up."

In terms of how long she will keep playing, she was firm with her stance. "However long I'm going to enjoy it," she concluded.