Kvitova’s Academy Aim
<![CDATA[Two-time Wimbledon winner plans to pass along lessons she learned from her parents.]]>
Petra Kvitova plans to build a tennis academy in her hometown.The two-time Wimbledon winner aims to impart two primary lessons her parents taught her: Love the game and work hard.Watch: Radwanska's Brilliance, Kyrgios' GenerosityAsked her advice for junior players who come from humble backgrounds, Kvitova said she can relate. Her father, Jiri, served as her coach for much of her junior career and she often hit with her two older brothers.“Yeah, I'm kind of one of them, too,” Kvitova told the media in Beijing. “We didn't really have a money to travel. My father was my coach until my 16. I think that he prepared me real well, so…“I think I have everything, kind of personalities from my parents. They gave me a lot. I mean, they spent a lot of time with me on the court, on the tournaments. They took some unpaid vacation from their work to be with me on the tournament. So it was a bit tough for them anyway. I hope they are happy now.“I think the kid has to really love tennis, playing for fun. That's what I started to have it as a hobby, playing for fun. I was just going real easy. Suddenly I'm here. I really like that. And I know that the hard work is the key, as well.”
Recalling the days when she and her dad were often the only two people playing on her hometown courts, the 27-year-old Czech said she hopes to build a tennis academy in Fulnek, Czech Republic.“We have, like, four courts in our city which I born. I think from that time I was just only one who was playing there,” Kvitova said. “I always played with my father or with my two brothers, so it wasn't really fun. I'm trying to, we are trying to, build a little bit tennis school in Fulnek now. In the time I started to play, wasn't really anything more. But I was happy to play anyway.“I was really happy that my father took the time and spent it with me.”Photo credit: China Open Facebook ]]>
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