Petra Kvitova might be the leader in the clubhouse for the player-voted Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award in 2023 if a moment from her match against Belinda Bencic on Friday at the Omnium Banque National is any indication.
In the second game of the third set of the pair's third-round match, which was rained out on Thursday, Bencic rolled her ankle and fell to the ground. Kvitova was quick to tend to her friend, and on-court foe, as she ran to get ice in the time it took for the physio to be summoned to Court Rogers.
Kvitova walked with Bencic to the latter's chair and kept the ice applied on her ankle as they waited for help to arrive. The match resumed after Bencic received medical treatment, a total pause of about 10 minutes. The Swiss went on to win 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1 in a shade under three hours.
It was the first of two matches Bencic was scheduled to play on the day.
Friends first, opponents second 🫂@Petra_Kvitova lends a helping hand after @BelindaBencic rolls her ankle.#NBO23 pic.twitter.com/j4HF21LUvd
— wta (@WTA) August 11, 2023
The moment was widely praised on social media with many tennis fans commenting on Kvitova's kindness, and the tournament's official X account, the platform formerly called Twitter, hailed the Czech's intervention as "class."
After the match, the two players shared a sweet embrace at the the net and bumped fists as Kvitova passed Bencic in leaving the court.