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Tennis knife-attack victim Petra Kvitova had the best news on Christmas

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:21 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Veronica Bruno/Fansided

WTA player Petria Kvitova shared news about her recovery on Christmas.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova took to twitter on Christmas to thank fans and well-wishers after her horrific knife attack last week. She showed appreciation for many of the flowers that were sent over as she recovers from the first surgery on her left hand.

The 26 year-old suffered multiple lacerations to the tendons and ligaments on her left fingers and hand after a man in his thirties, posing as a utility worker coming to read the meter, tried to rob the player in her Prostejov, Czech Republic apartment. The incident seems to have been a random act where the current world No. 11 player was specifically targeted. The wounds were suffered after the assailant put the knife to her neck and she tried to pull the weapon away with her left hand. The burglar is still at-large and he left with $192 cash taken from her apartment.

Ever positive, she tweeted about her determination to not let the incident stop her from returning right after the fact.

The Czech player has since undergone one surgery and was released from the Hand and Plastic Surgery Institute, where she had the operation just two days before Christmas. At a press conference Kvitova gave last Friday, she shared upbeat news after the surgery, including the ability to move her left fingers. Seated by her side at the conference were her coach Jiri Vanek and fitness trainer David Vydra; she was smiling and joking around. The 26-year-old had undergone nearly four hours of surgery.

“Yesterday morning, during a session with the doctor, I was able to move the fingers on my left hand. This to me is the greatest Christmas present I could have asked for,” she said during the press conference that took place at the Sparta Prague tennis club.

Out for six months, maybe more

As long as her recovery continues without complications, it is likely that Kvitova will remain out for six months, according to her doctors. The left-hander was also recovering from a foot injury before the burglary occurred. But all of this isn’t preventing her from maintaining a positive outlook on the situation.

“While what happened to me was very scary, I do not see myself as a victim, I do not feel sorry for myself and I will not look backwards. I will use all my energy to focus on my recovery and will do everything I can to return to the sport as soon as possible,” she said during the Friday conference.

The Czech player has been ranked as high as No. 2 and was listed as the sixth highest-paid female athlete just last year (according to Forbes), no doubt due to lucrative contracts with Nike, Wilson, Unicredit Bank, Beverly Hills watchmaker Ritmo Mundo, the Czech jewelry manufacturer ALO Diamonds and the Czech postal service company Ceska Posta.

“It’s a serious injury, and we have to deal with that accordingly,” said Radek Kebrle, a surgeon at the clinic. “She’s young and healthy and has long, slim fingers. That’s a good prognosis.”

“I feel better day by day,” said a smiling Kvitova.

What recovery will look like

In the meantime, she is in the beginning stage of the recuperation process. Rehabilitation will like last for about six-to-eight weeks. Kvitova is a left-handed player and will likely gain the ability to hold a racquet in about three months.

The world No. 11 probably won’t recover in time for the tournament she has had the best results at, Wimbledon, where won in 2011 and 2014. If all goes well, she may be able to fully recover in time to play the final grand slam of the year, the 2017 US Open.

Support from the tennis community

A very well liked player on the tour, Petra Kvitova received lots of support after the incident from fellow players.

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