NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 2, 2012 – 2011 Wimbledon Champion, 2012
Olympian and World No. 6 Petra Kvitova has been granted a wildcard
into the 2012 New Haven Open at Yale presented by First Niagara, a WTA
event that is part of the Emirates Airline US Open Series to be held
August 17-25, 2012 at the Connecticut Tennis Center, it was announced
on Thursday by Tournament Director Anne Worcester.

Kvitova had a breakout year in 2011, winning seven titles including
Wimbledon and the WTA Championships. As a member of Czech Republic Fed
Cup Team, the 22-year-old also helped her country win the
international competition, going 6-0 in her singles matches throughout
the year-long tournament.

To cap off her breakthrough year, Kvitova became the first player
since Maria Sharapova in 2004 to win both the WTA Player of the Year
and Most Improved Player awards. She ended the 2011 season ranked No.
2 in the world.

In 2012, the hard-hitting lefty has reached the semifinals of the
Australian and French Opens and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon,
becoming the only player to advance to at least the quarterfinals of
all three Grand Slams this year. She reached the quarterfinals of the
Olympic Games this week as well, and has also lead her Czech team back
to the Fed Cup finals for the second consecutive year, again
undefeated in her four matches.

Kvitova will be making her second career appearance at the New Haven
Open, having last competed in 2010. She joins World No. 2 and 2012
Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, World No. 8 and four-time
defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, World No. 9 and French Open
finalist Sara Errani and World No. 10 Marion Bartoli as the five
players in the New Haven Open field ranked in the WTA Top 10.

“We are delighted to welcome World No. 6 Petra Kvitova back to the New
Haven Open,” said Worcester. “She is an incredible athlete who is
extremely exciting to watch. Having five of the top-10 players in the
world is a testament to how competitive the 2012 New Haven Open field
is and we still have three Wild Cards to give out; an amazing week of
tennis in New Haven is in store for fans!”