Petra Kvitova ended her two-decade professional career on Monday after a 1–6, 0–6 first-round loss to France’s Diane Parry at the US Open. The 35-year-old Czech leaves the sport with 31 WTA titles, including Wimbledon triumphs in 2011 and 2014, a 2016 Olympic bronze medal and a career-high ranking of No. 2. Fighting back from a career-threatening knife attack in 2016 and a 15-month maternity break, she had flagged Flushing Meadows as her final tournament and told spectators she is “proud of those two Grand Slams more than a No.1 ranking.” France’s Caroline Garcia also brought down the curtain on her career, falling 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 to Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova. The 31-year-old former world No. 4 departs with 11 WTA singles titles, two Roland Garros doubles crowns and the 2022 WTA Finals trophy. The tournament’s opening day produced further surprises. Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, fresh off her breakthrough title in Montreal, was ousted 6–3, 6–2 by two-time major winner Barbora Krejcikova. Five-time US Open champion Venus Williams, 45, pushed No. 13 seed Karolina Muchova to three sets before losing 6–3, 2–6, 6–1, while 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva cruised past Alicia Parks 6–0, 6–1.
Venus Williams looks emotional at the end of her US Open press conference "What’d I prove to myself? For me getting back on court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy. When you play unhealthy it's in your mind. It was nice to be freer”🥹 https://t.co/vYZUjP5mbX
Tenista bicampeona de Roland Garros quien ganó su primer título en Bogotá puso fin a su carrera tras perder en ronda inicial del US Open https://t.co/TKC63IfKrb
Maria Sharapova said some beautiful words about her rivalry with Serena Williams and how she asked her to introduce her into the International Tennis Hall of Fame: “It was the first person I thought of. I sent her a message… I said ‘Do you have a minute?’ I got a response. We https://t.co/ghZOSDRtyk