Petra Kvitova out for at least six months after knife attack but expected to make full return

Petra Kvitova will not be able to return to tennis for at least six months as the result of the knife attack that forced her to undergo surgery.

Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014, suffered cuts to all five fingers of her left playing hand after being attacked by an intruder with a knife at her home in the Czech Republic on Tuesday (20 December).

The 26-year-old underwent nearly four hours of surgery to repair damaged tendons in her hand. The attacker meanwhile remains at large.

Radek Kebrle, the surgeon who performed the operation on the world No 11, explained on Wednesday the procedure was completed with "no complications."

Kvitova begins an initial period of rehabilitation of around six to eight weeks post-operation, but will not be able to grip a racket for three months.

"The best case scenario is that Petra will be able to return to the tennis court after six months," Kebrle added. "It is too soon to specify when precisely she can return to competition, but Petra is ready to do everything she can to get back competing at the highest level. Petra is happy with how the operation went and is in good spirits."

Kvitova's attacker gained entry to her flat On Tuesday (20 December) morning after posing as an electricity-maintenance worker. Police have appealed to the public for help identifying a man described as around 5ft 11ins, aged about 35 and who stole around 5,000 koruna (£155, $190) from the two-time grand slam champion.

The recovery period means Kvitova will miss the first two grand slams of 2017 at the Australian Open in Melbourne which starts on 16 January, and the French Open in May.