PETRA KVITOVA pulled out of the Eastbourne tournament because of an abdominal injury Monday, a day after winning her first title since her playing hand was injured in a knife attack.

Organizers of the grasscourt Aegon International confirmed Kvitova’s withdrawal, a week before the start of Wimbledon. She won the Wimbledon title in 2011 and 2014.

Kvitova, 27, won the grasscourt Aegon Classic in Birmingham on Sunday by beating Ashleigh Barty 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

It was only her second tournament since she was attacked at her home in December.

Kvitova had earlier moved up to 12th in the WTA rankings released Monday.

The 27-year-old Czech — who hit a career-high No. 2 ranking in October 2011 —will be bidding to add to her two Wimbledon titles starting July 3, provided her abdominal injury is not too serious.

Birmingham runner-up Australia’s Barty moved up 23 places to 54th in the rankings dominated by Angelique Kerber, ahead of Romanian Simona Halep and Czech Karolina Pliskova.

Meanwhile, after dealing with injuries and a chronic lack of solid results, Kerber confirmed Monday she finally feels fit again and keen to challenge at Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

“I’m feeling good already,” said Kerber, 29, top seed at the joint ATP-WTA event this week. She will play her first match in the second round after a bye against Czech Kristyna Pliskova.

“I pulled out from Birmingham (last week) because I was not 100 percent and I was feeling a little bit my leg.

“I had a lot of treatments and three or four days resting. Then I started practising again (in Mallorca). Now I’m feeling good. It’s nice to be playing again on the grass courts.”

Halep, losing to Roland Garros finalist Jelena Ostapenko, has her eyes set on seizing the No. 1 ranking. One slip from Kerber and Halep could move closer with little more than 100 rankings points separating them.

The woman’s form guide for the final portion of the brief grass season is anyone’s guess.

Kerber said that has been the recent trend. “I think we saw it already in the last few weeks, few months. This is a challenge for everybody.

“But I have learned that I really can only focus on me and not think too much about all the other players and what they are doing. I will just do my things and my schedule; my preparation, deal with my side of the court and focus on me.”

The German, who took the top spot from Serena Williams, knows she is under pressure and needs to turn in a good tournament performance on the English south coast at this week’s joint ATP-WTA tune-up.

(SD-Agencies)