Kvitova attacker sentenced to 8 years in prison

Kvitova, who identified the attacker, is currently plying her trade at the Miami Open, will face Ashleigh Barty in the quarterfinals later on Tuesday.

Florida: The criminal who attacked two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova with a knife at her Cheech Republic home in December 2016 was sentenced to eight years in prison on Tuesday.

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“He got eight years in a tight-security prison,” Eva Angyalossy, a spokeswoman for the regional court in the southern Czech city of Brno, said.

The 33-year-old Radim Zondra, who is already in the prison for coming to another crime, was sentenced on charges of serious battery and illegal entry into Kvitova's flat.

Meanwhile, Angyalossy said that Zondra and his lawyer had two weeks of time to appeal the verdict. Zondra pleaded not guilty.

Petra Kvitova

The 29-year-old world number two Kvitova sustained career-threatening injuries to her playing left hand as she fought off the intruder at her home in the eastern Czech town of Prostejov.

Police said the attacker did not know whose flat he was entering after pretending to be a technician checking boilers.

Kvitova, who identified the attacker, is currently plying her trade at the Miami Open, will face Ashleigh Barty in the quarterfinals later on Tuesday.

Despite grim forecasts by doctors, who even warned she might lose her fingers, the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon champion has recovered and continued her successful career.

Kvitova, who slumped as low as 29th in the world after the attack, reached the Australian Open final this year and is eyeing the world number one spot, which she could take from Naomi Osaka in Miami.