But Kvitova did look back on her inspiring Roland-Garros journey near the end of her 6-2, 6-4 victory over Zhang Shuai that propelled the Czech into the quarter-finals on the Parisian clay for the first time since a semi-final showing in 2012.
Kvitova appeared close to tears after striking a backhand winner down-the-line to seal proceedings against Zhang, three years after making her comeback to the sport on the very same court in the wake of being attacked in her home.
She fought for her life that day and suffered terrible knife wounds to her left, playing hand, which still affects her play.
“I got a bit emotional the last two points,” said Kvitova. “In tennis we really never know when it ends. But my memories, happy memories, when I made my comeback here in 2017, when I step on the Philippe-Chatrier — I couldn't really imagine me to be in the quarter-final of this slam.
“Everything just came back to me. When I'm talking, I'm getting emotional again. It's been a long ride definitely.”
When Kvitova downed Julia Boserup in the first round in 2017, her support camp cheered from her player box while wearing T-shirts with the words, ‘Courage, Belief, Pojd'.