STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-4 in the 2011 final
- The Czech will open her campaign against Uzbekistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova.
- The fourth seed expects world No. 1 Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka to challenge
- Kvitova says winning Wimbledon is “something that money can’t buy”
(CNN) — Petra Kvitova will use the expectation of being defending champion to help her when she begins her Wimbledon campaign.
The Czech beat current world No.1 Maria Sharapova at the All England club last year to claim her first grand slam title, and will start this year’s tournament on Centre Court against Uzbekistan’s 97th-ranked Akgul Amanmuradova.
“It’s very big pressure for sure,” the 22-year-old told CNN when asked about returning to the prestigious grass-court grand slam.
“But without pressure it’s boring. So I will try to work on my game so that when I step onto Centre Court I’m focused.”
Djokovic, Sharapova head Wimbledon seedings
The left-handed Kvitova is excited to return to Wimbledon, although she will be heading to the London venue earlier than planned after crashing out of the warm-up event at Eastbourne in the first round.
Tennis pro booted for hurting judge
Sharapova: It’s a special victory
David Nalbandian was disqualified from the Queen’s Club final on Sunday for inadvertently injuring a match official after kicking an advertising board. But the Argentine is not the first tennis star to lose their cool on court…
John McEnroe is as famous for his on-court histrionics as he is for the seven grand slam titles he won. In his second-round Wimbledon match in 1981, his “You cannot be serious!” catchphrase was coined after a rant at a line judge. Despite the outburst, the American went on to win the first of his three Wimbledon crowns that year. 
Tim Henman may have enjoyed some of the finest moments of his career at Wimbledon, but he also had a nightmare experience at the All England Club in 1995. During a doubles match alongside fellow Briton Jeremy Bates, Henman hit a ball in frustration which struck ball girl Caroline Hall (left), resulting in the pair’s disqualification.
While many players have taken their anger out on rackets and advertising boards, Mikhail Youzhny is one of the only tennis stars to physically attack themselves. The Russian drew blood after hitting himself in the head with his racket during a match with Nicolas Almagro in 2008.
Former world No. 1 Marat Safin lost his rag during a tempestuous Australian Open third-round defeat against Andy Roddick in 2007. The furious Russian, furious after a number of line calls were overruled, was warned for swearing and later fined $2,000. 
At the same tournament in 2008, Roddick launched a tirade at the umpire. The 2003 U.S. Open winner told the chair official “do your job,” while also demanding he “use his ears” and listen.
French Open champion Maria Sharapova is famous for her on-court shrieks. But at Roland Garros in 2008, the current world No. 1 aimed a verbal volley at the Paris crowd after being heckled during a clash with Dinara Safina.
Roger Federer is a calm and collected presence on the tennis court — most of the time. In a rare moment of weakness, the former world No. 1 smashed his racket when things weren’t going his way in a match with current top-ranked star Novak Djokovic in 2009.
During her 2009 U.S. Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams unleashed a verbal assault on an official which result in a hefty fine and a two-year suspended ban. Williams repeated the episode in last year’s New York final, calling the umpire “ugly on the inside” during her defeat to Samantha Stosur.
Djokovic suffered an unhappy defeat against Roland Garros king Rafael Nadal in this month’s French Open final. The Serbian damaged an advertising board by whacking it with his racket.Tennis tantrums
‘You cannot be serious!’
Henman’s hell
Mikhail’s madness
Marat’s misery
Roddick’s rage
Sharapova’s shriek
Federer’s fury
Woe for Williams
Serbian slam
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Top 10 tennis tantrums“It’s a very special place to me. I will be honored to return to Wimbledon as the defending champion,” added Kvitova, who was knocked out of the Australia Open and French Open by Sharapova at the semifinal stages.
“I would have liked to have played more matches, but I have more days for practice,” said the Czech. “I can improve my game and I can go there earlier than I expected. I’m looking forward to being at Wimbledon.”
The world No. 4 explained how her 6-3 6-4 victory over Sharapova was a dream come true and that Wimbledon has a distinct aura which is not present at other tournaments.
“You cannot be serious!” Tennis’ top tantrums
“All players want to win Wimbledon, it’s something that money can’t buy,” said Kvitova, who is seeded fourth.
“The grand slam at Wimbledon is very special to everyone, it’s on the grass, you play in the whites and it has all the history and the atmosphere.”
Despite her shock straight-sets loss to Ekaterina Makarova at Eastbourne on Monday, Kvitova feels her game is well suited to the grass.
“I’m happy with my game, I can improve for sure. I play well on the grass … although I haven’t had too many chances to play on the grass this season.”
Unlike the men’s game, which has been dominated by Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, women’s tennis has seen a number of players clinch grand slam titles — the last six major tournaments have had six different winners.
All players want to win Wimbledon, it’s something that money can’t buy
Petra Kvitova
Kvitova expects French Open winner Sharapova and Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who she beat in the Wimbledon semifinals last year, to be her main challengers over the Wimbledon fortnight.
“Women’s tennis is very open right now, big players can play well on the grass. Maria has had a great season and she played so well at Roland Garros.
“Azarenka as well had a very good start to the season and plays very nice on the grass. There are a lot of players who can play very well.
“We are all fighting because we know we have a chance, it’s not just me who is the only good player who can win everything. Not at this time, but maybe in the future.”
Sharapova, Wimbledon champion in 2004, has been drawn against Russia-born Australian Anastasia Rodionova, while second seed Azarenka, who could be set for another semifinal showdown with Kvitova, will play American Irina Falconi.
We are all fighting because we know we have a chance
Petra Kvitova
Four-time champion Serena Williams is up against Czech Republic’s Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, while Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska is playing world No. 121 Magdalena Rybarikova.
Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki will begin her quest for a maiden grand slam title with a first round match against Austria’s Tamira Paszek.
Unseeded Belgian Kim Clijsters, a winner of four grand slam titles, has been drawn against 18th seed Jelena Jankovic.
But former world No. 1 Clijsters’ participation in the event has been called into question after she pulled out of warm-up event in the Netherlands with a stomach strain.
In the men’s draw, defending champion Novak Djokovic opens up against former top-ranked Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Switzerland’s 16-time grand slam winner Roger Federer, a six-time Wimbledon champion, could face Serbia’s Djokovic in the last four. Third seed Federer will play No. 43 Albert Ramos.
French Open champion Rafael Nadal could face fourth seed Andy Murray in the last four for the third year in a row. Second seed Nadal has drawn against Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.
Home-crowd favorite Murray will play former world No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko in his opener, while fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will go up against Australian 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt.
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