The ‘Petra Kvitova Hall of Fame’ opens in Czech Republic

Petra Kvitova might have been far from Newport, Rhode Island, but the Czech great still took her place in a tennis hall of fame this week.

One of the most beloved figures in Czech tennis, Kvitova was honored in her hometown of Fulnek on Thursday, as the city revealed a “Hall of Fame” museum dedicated to the two-time Wimbledon champion.

“So honored to open my Petra Kvitova Hall of Fame in Fulnek today, particularly because my family were able to be there with me!” she wrote on Instagram.

“So grateful for the part Fulnek played in shaping me as a person and a player and hope everyone enjoys visiting.”

Kvitova spent most of her formative years in the small Moravian town, and it was in Fulnek that the future world No. 2 first picked up a tennis racquet. She remained based there until she was 16, when Kvitova chose to pursue a professional tennis career.

Since then, the 32-year-old has scaled to the peak of women’s tennis, helping the Czech Republic clinch six Billie Jean King Cup titles and going on to rack up 29 career titles of her own—including two Grand Slam trophies, having won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014.

Both of those Venus Rosewater Dish trophies now sit in a display case at the Petra Kvitova Hall of Fame—along with several other trophies, accolades and various other mementos from her glittering career. One snap Kvitova shared on social media featured a wall covered in tournament badges, while another featured an array of various tennis racquets she has used over the years.

We want to pay tribute to the athlete who made her hometown famous in the world. Petr Ertelt, mayor of Fulnek

The mayor of Fulnek, Petr Ertelt, announced the project back in 2020, with the intention of paying homage to Kvitova and ensuring her legacy is passed on to future residents and visitors of the town.

“We want to pay tribute to the athlete who made her hometown famous in the world,” Fulnek said. “And at the same time, introduce Petra Kvitova to the visitors of Fulnek from a hitherto little-known point of view, in terms of her childhood and first successes on tennis courts.”

After cutting the ribbon on her personal museum, Kvitova will now try to add to her “Hall of Fame” haul—as the No. 2 seed at the WTA 250 event in Prague next week.