Kvitova seals first win of comeback at Italian Open

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova won her first match since the birth of her first child, then said she had been close to quitting tennis.

The Czech claimed a 7-5 6-1 win over Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round of the Italian Open in Rome.

Her victory ended a run of four defeats since the 35-year-old returned to competitive action after 15 months away during which she gave birth to her son Petr.

Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 and reached number two in the world, said she had doubted whether she would return to the international arena.

“I was 95% that I would never come back. 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,” she told the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) website.

“I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t 100%. When I could do something finally after pregnancy, I played some tennis and it felt so good. I was laughing. Every shot I hit smoothly, I was like, ‘Wow – it’s still there’.”

Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal fought back from a set down to book her place in the second round at the expense of Kimberly Birrell.

Kartal saw off the Australian 4-6 6-3 6-4 in a gruelling match which lasted two hours and 10 minutes.

The 23-year-old, who was ranked outside the world’s top 250 a year ago but is now up to number 56, will play 30th seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic next.

British number three Kartal won her only WTA tour title at the Jasmin Open in Tunisia last year.

Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie suffered an early exit in Rome as he was beaten by Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in three sets.

Norrie struggled during a one-sided opening set which Lajovic won 6-1, but rallied and took the second 6-4 to level the contest.