WIMBLEDON, England — When Petra Kvitova won the warm-up tournament in Birmingham, England, last month, a successful run at Wimbledon seemed an enticing possibility.
A two-time champion at the All England Club, Kvitova had missed months of action after her left hand was slashed in a terrifying encounter when an intruder broke into her home in the Czech Republic. She came back ahead of schedule to play in the French Open, but Wimbledon, where she has performed so well, had been her real target.
But on Wednesday, Kvitova, the No. 11 seed, was crouched over, sweat pouring from her forehead as she gasped for air in the third set.