Navratilova Sees Wimbledon Champ Kvitova as a New Power in Women's Tennis

Martina Navratilova looked down with pride and joy from the  Royal Box as the new Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova hoisted the famous Venus  Rosewater trophy so well known to the nine-times winner and announced a
new era  in women’s tennis.

Navratilova believes Kvitova, both a fellow Czech by  birth and also a left-hander, is destined to become the dominant force on the  WTA scene and "I think we're seeing a new player taking charge,” said Navratilova. “She’s not scared out there and she’s playing forceful tennis. “Before the final I was talking to someone who works with me and we were trying to figure out the fourth best leftie that ever played.

“There’s Monica (Seles), myself and then Ann Jones but we couldn’t really come up with another one. But now with Kvitova a Wimbledon winner, she’s up there.”

However Navratilova is insistent the era of the Williams sisters is not yet 
over.  "I'm sure they'll be a force to be reckoned with at the US Open if they  stay healthy,” she said.

“I wouldn't write off Serena just yet. She'll  get in great shape. She still did amazingly well. I thought both sisters,  considering how little they played, they looked sharp. But I think as Venus is  two years older it gets harder after 30. I know that well." 

Navratilova  found agreement on her views of Kvitova from two other American tennis  luminaries. John McEnroe emerged from the BBC TV commentary booth after watching  the eighth seed beat former champion Maria Sharapova 6-3,6-4 and said: “You've  a feeling we have just seen a really special talent.”

Tracy Austin, who  won the US Open twice, is convinced Kvitova's immensely powerful game will  reward her with further major titles after her triumph was watched by a global  audience of tens of millions. 'I think this is the first of many for Petra,'  said Austin.