Another Wimbledon is in the books, and what an eventful fortnight it was.  Ask anyone what they remember from those two weeks, and answers will likely focus on topics such as the men’s final and what it meant for both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, the emergence of the young guns, the mysterious circumstances under which Serena Williams made her exit, or how Eugenie Bouchard continues to emerge as the new “It” girl of the WTA.  One headline that never did gain much traction, however, was the story of Petra Kvitova winning the women’s title. Why was this?

To some fans, particularly those of the casual variety, that is a fair question, and not just because Kvitova won Wimbledon.  It was the second time she did so on those hallowed lawns, and she remains the only player, male or female, born in the 1990s to have won a major singles title.  Then there is what Kvitova did en route to winning the title.  She emerged victorious against Venus Williams in what many considered to be the best match of the entire tournament on the women’s side, and she put on a clinic in the final, blitzing Bouchard with barely the loss of any games. 

Of course, regular tennis fans know that this is not necessarily anything new.  They saw something very similar when Kvitova shocked Maria Sharapova to win her first Wimbledon title.  She was anointed as a future star set to dominate the game.  But that never really materialized.  Following her 2011 triumph, Kvitova went on to win just two total matches in Toronto and Cincinnati and suffered a first-round loss at the US Open.  She salvaged the remainder of that season by playing better in the fall and winning the WTA Championships, but she has been a frustrating enigma ever since.

Now that Kvitova has secured a second title at Wimbledon, however, perhaps she is more prepared to fulfill the promise many predicted for her three years ago.  As was the case then, she unquestionably has the weapons to do so.  That was brilliantly exhibited in the final against Bouchard, in which Kvitova was so dominant in every department that the highly talented youngster was never able to gain a foothold in the match. 

Additionally, she still has the perfect blend of raw power and variety that allows her game to translate to every surface.  But the Czech also has two things going for her that she did not have the last time she won Wimbledon:  experience and improved fitness.  Kvitova admitted that when she stunningly came through to win her first major, she was not ready for it.  The shy Czech from a small town was unaccustomed to the extra media attention and added pressure that came with being a Grand Slam champion and often buckled under it.  She also lacked the necessary fitness to consistently compete at the highest level on tour.  She has made great strides to rectify that flaw, though, and it showed in her improved movement on the grass.

Despite those improvements, it remains unclear whether Kvitova can immediately build on her success in London, as she failed to do in 2011.  She has stated that she struggles more with her health when playing in North America, and that has possibly hampered her belief that she can do well there.  Her results certainly appear to bear that out.  She has only once reached the quarterfinals at both Indian Wells and Miami, and she has yet to advance beyond the round of 16 at the US Open. 

Kvitova’s performances in Canada and Cincinnati have also been dodgy at times, but she has also done well at those events.  She reached the final of Montreal and the semifinals of Cincinnati in 2012, and her playing style should translate well to the hard courts.  More than anything, it is a matter of her believing that her skill set will work here.  If she can find that confidence and stretch her momentum throughout the summer hard-court season, she could be well on her way to the top of the women’s game.

Whether or not Kvitova can climb the mountain to No. 1 is an unknown, but what is known is that women’s tennis would greatly benefit from her being a consistent presence at the business end of tournaments and a mainstay at the top of the sport.  As the newly crowned 2014 Wimbledon champion, she has been given another chance to use that title as a springboard to achieve even more milestones.  Time will tell if things are truly better the second time around.