World number 17 Petra Kvitova announces pregnancy

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced she is expecting her first child.

The world number 17 had been named on the entry list for the Australian Open - which starts on 14 January - but she will now miss the first Grand Slam of the year.

Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, last played at the China Open in October, exiting in the second round.

The Czech married her long-time coach, Jiri Vanek, in 2023.

"On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer," the 33-year-old said on social media.

"While I will miss my annual trip to Australia and competing in the sport I love, I'm looking forward to spending some time at home preparing for this exciting new chapter in our lives."

Kvitova's announcement came on the same day Naomi Osaka won the first match of her comeback after becoming a mother in July.

In November, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic announced her pregnancy, meaning she could miss out on defending her title at Paris 2024.

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