Kvitova Reaches First Slam Semifinal Since Home Invasion

Petra Kvitova reached her first semi since wining the Wimbledon title in 2014, and since a home invasion in 2016.

MELBOURNE— Petra Kvitova is back in a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time since her run to the 2014 title at Wimbledon and a home invasion that nearly derailed her career in 2016.

The two-time Wimbledon champion beat local favorite Ash Barty 6-1, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena and was tearful when she said she had never imagined she would be back here playing.

Kvitova missed the 2017 Australian Open as she recovered from injuries to her left hand sustained during a home invasion in the Czech Republic the previous month.

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Her best run at a major after returning from the injuries resulted in a quarterfinal exit at the U.S. Open in 2017.

Kvitova is on a 10-match winning streak after winning the title in Sydney, where she beat Barty in the final, in the week before coming to Melbourne Park.

Barty was the first Australian woman in a decade to reach the quarterfinals here.

Kvitova will next play 25-year-old American Danielle Collins, who reached the Grand Slam semifinals for the first time after coming back to overpower Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.