Petra Kvitova wins WTA Birmingham to continue fairytale comeback

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 25/06/2017 at 18:51 GMT

Petra Kvitova continued her remarkable recovery by taking the WTA Birmingham title, beating Ashleigh Barty 4-6 6-3 6-2 in perfect preparation for Wimbledon.

Kvitova slipped a set down to the Australian - herself enjoying a fine return to the sport after a time away playing cricket - but roared back to win by taking the decider in convincing fashion.

Follow the road to Wimbledon LIVE on Eurosport Player

In doing so, the Czech has triumphed in only her second tournament back after she suffered a vicious knife attack in December which left her with a badly wounded hand.

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She returned to action in the French Open, going out in the second round, but she has been confident and sharp on her favourite surface with this title providing a swift return to winning ways.

Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011 and again in 2014 and will now head into the tournament as one of the favourites given her impressive victory from a strong field in Birmingham.

"I like to play finals on grass. I wish I could have more - I won't be sad if it is in a couple of weeks (at Wimbledon) but there is still a lot of work to be done," she said in her on-court interview.

"It was an amazing week, an amazing tournament. From my first hits on the grass I felt great, it was encouraging to get into the grass season.

"I came to play, to improve my game, I didn't really have any expectation. I wanted to play my best which I showed today and I hope I can keep doing that," she added.

The 27-year-old fired down 13 aces and 35 winners as she comprehensively overpowered Barty in the second and final sets with the Australian unable to respond.

Barty mustered just five games in the final two sets and did not manage to get close to threatening on the Kvitova serve as the Czech produced a dominant display.

Highlights: Kvitova beats Barty to lift Birmingham title

Coming into the tournament as the seventh seed, Kvitova was regarded as a dark horse for the tournament and she will now head into Wimbledon brimming with confidence as a result of her 20th WTA Tour title.

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