Melbourne: Petra Kvitova said she had proved the doubters wrong Thursday by reaching her maiden
Australian Open final and the first in a Grand Slam since a knife attack derailed
her career.
The two-time Wimbledon champion stormed past debutant Danielle Collins 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 in their semi-final after the closure of the roof in searing Melbourne heat gave the Czech a boost.
Collins was matching Kvitova until play was interrupted late in the first set while the roof on Rod Laver Arena was closed as the temperature soared past 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 Farenheit).
Czech eighth seed Kvitova said until then she was struggling to find her best form.
"I'm really glad that it (form) came in the tie-break and in the second set," she said.
"I think I was happier than the fans when the roof closed, I like to play indoors and I think that helped me a little bit."
Collins, who had a dream run to make the final four on her Australian debut, became flustered after Kvitova won a first-set tie-breaker and her game fell apart in the second set.
Reaching the final is the highlight of what Kvitova calls her "second career", after she returned following a terrifying attack in her home in the Czech Republic in late 2016.
A burglar slashed her racquet hand, sidelining her for almost six months and causing permanent nerve damage.
"It means everything, finally I can make it deep in this major and whatever happens I'm very happy," the big-serving left-hander said.
She also had a dig at those who believed she would never again hit the heights she enjoyed before her life was turned upside down. "It's been a while. It's been five years," she said, referring to her last Grand Slam final.