Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew from the WTA Eastbourne event on Wednesday with a hamstring injury saying it was precautionary with the grass court Grand Slam event beginning next Monday.
The 28-year-old Czech – ranked eight in the world – told the WTA website the hamstring injury felt worse when she awoke on Wednesday and did not wish to endanger her chances of playing at Wimbledon.
Kvitova – who has been seeded eight for Wimbledon – came into the tournament on the back of victory at last week’s WTA grasscourt tournament in Birmingham, England and was due to play Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round on Wednesday.
“I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from Eastbourne this morning,” the Czech said in a statement, quoted on the WTA website.
“I felt my hamstring in the Birmingham final and, although I played with tape in my match here yesterday, when I woke up this morning it felt worse. With Wimbledon around the corner I couldn’t take the risk of making it worse by playing today.”
Kvitova, who won the second of her two Wimbledon titles in 2014, hasn’t been past the third round in her last three appearances at the Grand Slam.
Kvitova finally close to her best after the horrific knife attack that halted her career in 2016 has claimed five WTA titles this season, as well as winning a women’s tour-leading 37 matches over the last six months.