2014 Wimbledon Championships - Petra Kvitova
IN PHOTO: Petra Kvitova won her second Wimbledon title in July. Kvitova was the No. 6 seed in the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. She made her way on to the quarterfinals after beating Andrea Hlavackova, Mona Barthel, Venus Williams, and Shuai Peng in the early rounds. Kvitova’s quarterfinals match was against fellow compatriot Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova, where she won in straight sets. Then, she defeated another compatriot Lucie Safarova, who was the 23rd seed, in the semifinals. Kvitova ultimately won the tournament after crushing Eugenie Bouchard in the finale. Kvitova currently ranks third in the world. REUTERS

Defending champions Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova are ready to defend their titles at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. This year’s event will be the 129th edition of the tournament played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in SW19, London from June 29 to July 12, 2015.

The World No. 1 Serbian tennis star opted not to compete in a tournament leading up to the Wimbledon after his French Open heartbreak when he was denied the only grand slam title that he has yet to win by Swiss Stan Wawrinka. Instead, Djokovic took time off the tour and only returned in action when he beat Richard Gasquet at an exhibition match held at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire.

Speaking via ESPN.co.uk, Djokovic said that he decided not to take part in any warm-up tennis events because he needed time from the tour to relax his mind and unwind. He felt that his mental state needed a break more than his physical body.

“There are days when you really need to take some time off,” Djokovic said. “Even though I know it could have been useful to play a couple of official matches on grass, it’s not the first time I’m coming straight into Wimbledon.”

In 2014, Djokovic also skipped a lead-up event to Wimbledon, but he ended up winning his second Wimbledon trophy. He first won the title in 2011.

Djokovic said that he used the short break off the tour to spend time with his family and re-organise and make a fresh start. He is hopeful that he will be able to play great tennis come Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, Czech tennis star Petra Kvitova, who won the women’s singles final against Canadian Eugenie Bouchard last year at SW19. It was Kvitova’s second Wimbledon title. She won her first title at the All England Club in 2011.

The 2015 Wimbledon Championships will be Kvitova’s first tournament following her Round 16 exit at the Roland Garros. She also had a little time off the women’s tour when she pulled out of the Aegon Championships at Easbourne because she wasn’t feeling at her best. Going into the third grand slam of the season, Kvitova said she is ready for her title defence at SW19.

“I have to still think positively and I hope I’m going to be ready for Wimbledon,” Kvitova told Paul Newman of The Independent. “I don’t play my first match until Tuesday, so there’s still time.”

Kvitova did well at Wimbledon. In the last five years of her participation in the tournament, she was able to reach the quarterfinals twice (2012, 2013), semifinals once (2010), and won the title twice (2011 and 2014).

Kvitova reckoned that being a leftie gives her an advantage on grass. She added that she likes to play aggressive and go for her shots instead of playing many rallies on grass, which has been predominantly lethal to her opponents. Her final match against Bouchard last year at SW19 was the shortest in the last three decades, with the Czech taking home the trophy in under one hour.

Currently ranked as World No. 2, Kvitova alongside Serena Williams are reportedly the top contenders to win this year’s trophy. Williams and Kvitova are seeded first and second, respectively, which means that the Czech could only meet Williams in the final if she progresses in the tournament.

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