Petra Kvitova Says She Hurt Ankle At 'Press Requirement,' Withdraws From French Open

Petra Kvitova became the second tennis star to announce her withdrawal from the French Open this week, saying she fell and hurt her ankle during “press requirements” after her first-round victory on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, after an MRI and much discussion with my team, I have made the tough decision that it would be unwise to play on it,” the WTA’s 12th-ranked player wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “It’s incredibly bad luck but I will stay strong and do my best to recover in time for the grass-court season.”

The exit of Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champ who made the French Open semifinals in 2020, follows the sudden departure of WTA No. 2 Naomi Osaka, who withdrew Monday citing mental health reasons after she declined to appear at press events at the Grand Slam competition in Paris.

Celebrities, politicians, fellow athletes and Nike, which has a sponsorship deal with Osaka, supported her decision.

Kvitova had to save a match point in defeating qualifier Greet Minnen in three sets during the first round and was set to play Elena Vesnina on Wednesday, ESPN noted.