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Petra Kvitova News and Articles

376K views 4K replies 148 participants last post by  czerwony ptak 
#1 ·
Since she's all famous and stuff, we should post all interesting articles in here. :lol:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-opinion/6732836/wimbledon-petra-kvitova-new-star-born

In Petra Kvitova, a new star is born
Jul 2 | By Sandra Harwitt

Petra Kvitova is not the type of individual who seeks attention. She's kind of shy about her achievements.

But after defeating Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday for the Wimbledon title, she can't escape being famous.

"I'm so tired," Kvitova told about 10 journalists receiving some extra time with the champion after she did her main news conference and TV interviews. "I know it will change. I don't know what it will be [like] in [her native] Czech Republic."

When asked if she ever had a desire to be famous, the 21-year-old struggled to answer the question.
"I mean, it's part of being a tennis player, being famous," she eventually said. "So when I won Wimbledon, I had to agree [with it]."

One sign of that fame is being added to the Wimbledon Wall of Champions, which is located within the inner sanctum of the All England Club. The new champion's name -- clear and bold in gold lettering -- is put in its rightful spot even before the trophy ceremony on Centre Court is concluded.

Kvitova was able to watch the procedure when it was shown on the Centre Court scoreboard. Whether she's ready or not, Kvitova knew it was just another sign of her burgeoning stardom.

"When I was sitting on the court after the match I saw it [happening] on the TV," Kvitova said. "It was strange."
 
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#2,678 ·
Oh and BTW a certain lady whose first name is Steffi made a nice comment on Saturday's final :D

'Flawless display of tennis today from Petra Kvitova in her 6-3, 6-0 victory over Eugenie Bouchard to win her 2nd Wimbledon championship in three years. Congratulations to a gracious and sweet champion!'
 
#2,680 ·
^ They're still there. 491 of them.
 
#2,689 · (Edited)
I would rather call it tax optimization than tax evasion as it is legal.
We don't have an agreement with Monaco about the prevention of double taxation. Therefore, she is obliged to pay taxes in CR and yes, this is tax evasion. But it's beeing tolerated (for some sort of people).
And personally, I don't find it immoral at all. No matter if Petra spends a dime or not in the Czech Rep. It is her right to be based in the Czech Rep, not an obligation.
Yes, it is immoral. It didn't come from her head, it's Cernosek again. No matter where and how she spends her money. But she consumes public services (as any other citizen) and she is obliged to pay for them.

This is however ugly public discussion, especially now after her great success. And nothing is gonna change, too many "important" people do the same (and much worse).
 
#2,696 ·
Because Berdych didn't win Wombledon right now, she did. The guy who brought this up is a politician and politicians do everything to promote them self this time through other much more successful person. ;)
 
#2,690 · (Edited)
Morality is (imo :p) subjective matter. If something is in contradiction with the law, it doesn't have to be immoral. Taxing your income in Monaco is not necessarily illegal, de lege lata.

As for the public services she consumes without paying for them, can you be more particular? As far as I know she spends her millions in the Czech Rep, which is praiseworthy activity the tax collector should be grateful for. She employs dozen of Czechs and pays both social security and health insurance contributions, isn't she. For most of the year, she is abroad. Her income is generated (and taxed) abroad. Not to mention the representation she should be paid for.
 
#2,691 ·
Taxing your income in Monaco is not necessarily illegal, de lege lata.
That's my point, there isn's any agreement between our countries and Monaco is not a member of EU. If you are willing to pay your taxes there - no problem, but you have to pay them in CR as any other Czech citizen, too. As simple as that.

As for the public services she consumes without paying for them, can you be more particular? As far as I know she spends her millions in the Czech Rep, which is praiseworthy activity the tax collector should be grateful for. She employs dozen of Czechs and pays both social security and health insurance contributions, isn't she. For most of the year, she is abroad. Her income is generated (and taxed) abroad. Not to mention the representation she should be paid for.
Public services that are beeing payed from out taxes. Police, road network, firemen etc.
I assume that she spends lots of money here, but that has nothing to do with collecting taxes. The question that collector asks is "Did you pay or not?" And Petra's answer would be "Y'know, I did have payed but to someone else, not the Czech government..". Do I need to continue?

Again, this is one of the major flaws that this country didn't solve yet since the revolution, because no politician has the balls to open the topic. I'm really sorry that its beeing opened right now together with Petra's name.
 
#2,692 ·
Personally, I have no issue with people who move to Monaco and actually live there, if you are from northern Europe it is a nice place to live and I can see the desire behind that, for those people the tax matters are just an (rather big) added bonus.

What is a much harder sell to the public is someone who just lives there on paper, and I'm afraid this applies to Petra. She's always very fond of the Czech Republic and very vocal about it and while that has always been charming and very telling about her personality, it kind of bites her in the behind with this matter now. Because it is a valid question, if you like to be at home so much and love the Czech Republic so much, why the heck do you claim to live in the Monaco?

I can see why it irritates some people, I can hardly recall any evidence of her living there. Whenever she posts something on social media it is her at home, talking about how she's back in the Czech Republic etc. So it is easy to see where people may get the impression that she is not actually living in Monaco. And if she isn't, the strongest defense as in "I don't care about the tax laws there, I just like it there" does not work in her favor anymore.

Tax evasion or avoidance is something that even the most popular athletes get criticized for. Back in the late 90s, Michael Schumacher was like a god in Germany, none of the media would ever dare to attack him aside from the fact that he did not pay his taxes in Germany. That always remained a controversial issue because it ticks many people off.

Anyways, looking in from the outside it seems that this change was brought on by Stepanek. When she was dating him it was the only time I can recall she ever posted a photo of herself in Monaco and that was the time her residence info with the WTA changed as well. I don't think it was a smart move for her, to be honest.
 
#2,693 ·
There is consumption tax (e.g. VAT) imposed on goods and services. Hence, Petra spending millions means Petra paying for public services.

Jimmie48: I just don't see the point of double taxation. The prize money is being gathered abroad as it is being taxed abroad.
 
#2,699 ·
That's disgusting, I start to feel ashamed for reactions of some Czech people. :mad: Everybody else is congratulating to her and saying how well-deserved this title is and "we" just make our nation look like a bunch of idiots who don't deserve a champion like Petra. :( :facepalm:
 
#2,713 · (Edited)
PS: These are the sort of things, that Drove Yannick Noah out of France years ago.

Too many crazy controversies and stories such as this one. So eventually, he moved to NY (where his son played high school basketball), and he never looked back.

He said he couldn't take the pressure in France, and they reported his every move and non move (good, bad, true or untrue).

PS: I agree with Jimmie, regarding the tax implications stuff/logic. So I'm not trying to say Petra has no culpability. She does (although, it probably wasn't even her idea).

Nonetheless, I bring up Noah, cause other Czech players are doing it as well (doesn't make it right), and of course no one seems to care until you win on the biggest stage (like Noah did). Then they complain talk about a lot of BS after. Lol

Now, even if nothing comes out of this (for whatever reasons), let's just hope that this didn't bother Petra, and gives her another convoluted reason to not play her best, thus waiting to win another major three years from now. You know Petra? 'I don't Like Spot Light When I win Grand Slam or #1, so I suck long time'. :help:
 
#2,714 ·
To be honest, after 20 years od so-called democracy, this is still banana republic. Many things don't work, many things are twisted by corruption. People don't believe in paying taxes for sake of the society because they see how the money dissapear later. It's nothing new that people try to avoid paying if they can skip it.
However, Petra will do just fine. Even if she would get into troubles, the Ministry of finance will let her be, she is already a symbol and public opinion is on her side.
Things are changing here, but slowly. I'm 100% sure that something like this wouldn't happen in Germany, for example.

My last note to this issue would be: I just hope it won't affect her state of the mind and her game. We want happy and satisfied Petra.
 
#2,716 ·
I'm 100% sure that something like this wouldn't happen in Germany, for example.
Just read Jimmie's comment above: Boris Becker barely escaped a prison term in Germany for similar conduct so it's not that easy.

Quote from a news article:

"The judges gave him a stiff punishment, nevertheless: a two-year prison sentence, suspended for three years, a 500,000 euro (£315,000) fine, and the entire cost of his trial.

The former Wimbledon champion had pleaded guilty to evading about 1.7m euros tax by claiming to live in the "offshore" haven of Monte Carlo at a time when his main residence was really in Munich."



Petra has now left the one-slam wonder territory and it's obvious that some of her moves will be followed more closely than she would probably love to. Almost no-one would be talking about her now, had she lost to Mona Barthel in the second round.

C'est la vie.


P.S. It would be good for Petra if she actually does spend some time in Monte Carlo and thus her stays in CZ can be considered as 'visits' to see family, friends, etc.
 
#2,723 ·
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ten...-Bouchard.html

On Monday she heads back to the Czech Republic, to supervise the construction of the house that her parents will build from scratch with a portion of her riches. Kvitova betrays few of the accoutrements of fame, even if she is understood to have traded in her Skoda Superbia for a Porsche.

“Please understand, I don’t have anything against Skodas!” she protested, lest she should be seen to impugn the jewel of the Czech automotive industry.
:hysteric::haha:
 
#2,725 ·
http://radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/wimbledon-champion-kvitova-faces-storm-over-monaco-tax-haven

Last Saturday, the 24-year-old Petra Kvitová beat the Canadian newcomer Eugenie Bouchard in straight sets to take the Wimbledon title for the second time in her career. But the glow of that victory has been somewhat dampened following a demand by Social Democrat MP Stanislav Huml that the player, who has listed Monaco as her place of residence for the purposes of avoiding income taxes, should be stripped of her Czech citizenship.

Here is Huml explaining to Radio Impuls the Facebook comments he made that sparked off the storm:

“I think that we should all have a long and hard think about the fact that if someone leaves the Czech Republic and becomes a member of another state, then they should lose their Czech citizenship. Because I don’t know that the few percent less in taxes that she stands to pay in a country like Monaco deflects from the fact that perhaps the Czech Republic actually helped her achieve some of her success.”

Such is the populist take being heard by several left-of-centre Czech politicians. They argue that using tax shelters is essentially a slap in the face for the investment that a country such as the Czech Republic has made in one of its citizens. The Czech Republic has a 22 percent income tax rate for its wealthiest citizens – Monaco’s rate is zero. Czech law mandates that taxes can be avoided if a citizen sets up residency in another country and spends more than half a year living at that location. So should Petra Kvitová actually be playing for Monaco?

Ivo Kaderka, president of the Czech Tennis Association was quick to join a chorus of countering views coming to the players’ defence. He told reporters that Czech society was not only adept at questioning success, but was now going so far as to punish it. Others have pointed out that Kvitová serves as an ambassador for her country, and is by far not the only transgressor with regards to tax avoidance – many Czech tennis stars, including Radek Štepánek, Tomáš Berdych and Lucie Šafářová make use of tax havens as well, either based in Monte Carlo or Monaco. Indeed, Monaco has become something of a tax haven for many of the world’s tennis stars.

So is it a storm in a teacup or a major issue? I hit the streets of Prague to gauge the opinions of ordinary Czechs:

Does it bother you that Petra Kvitová doesn’t pay taxes in the Czech Republic – that she pays them in Monaco?

Man 1: “No, it does not bother me. I think that if a state has such high taxes that successful sportsperson has to move to another country, then it is the fault of the state, not the sports player.”

Man 2: “No. Because it is her business.”

Man 2: “No. Because it is her business.”

Do you think she should play for Monaco instead of representing the Czech Republic?

Man 2: “No. She plays for us, and it is up to her to decide where she wants to pay her taxes. If the taxes are high here, it is her choice to pay taxes somewhere else.”

Woman 1: “I really don’t have an opinion. I don’t care.”

Man 3: “I don’t mind.”

And you don’t think she should now play for Monaco instead?

Man 3: “No, I don’t think so. I think it is her choice.”

Woman 2: “I think it is her business and her life and her decision.”

Some people have said she is the Czech Republic has invested in her via an education, and now she is avoiding that.

Man 3: “She pays back via her tennis results, or something. She doesn’t have to just pay back with money. So I don’t have a problem with it personally.”
 
#2,727 ·
Especially because "Superbia" is Latin for "arrogance"!
 
#2,730 ·
Update on the taxgate.

Both the Czech finance minister and president have voiced their support for Petra. The president has even invited the player to the Prague Castle :worship:
Nice gesture, :rolleyes: but he just tries to do the same as Huml (the populist who said that Petra should lose her citizenship) and that is draw attention to him self, no need to worship him for that. ;)
 
#2,734 · (Edited)
#2,737 ·
Carlsbad QF: 120 (won one match)
Toronto QF: 225 (won two matches)
Cincinnati R16: 125 (won one match)
New Haven Final: 320 (won four matches)
[total of 790 for US Open Series]
US Open R32: 160 (won two matches)

So not that much to defend - If Petra does well and outscores Na she could even move up to 3rd (Na is defending over 700 more points) - but sugarpova is not too far behind and could move ahead of both (as not defending any points).

Petra should get a bye for the first round of all the US Open Series tournaments.
 
#2,740 ·
From Petra's blog on her website: :)
SW19 Title



Hi everyone,

I wanted to write and let you know what I have been up to since I played that amazing match on Centre Court last Saturday!

The first time I won Wimbledon I didn’t really celebrate because everything just happened so quickly. This time I managed to have a couple of glasses of champagne back at the house with my team, but then I was so tired that I still ended up going to bed early!

To tell you the truth, I did not sleep well during the second week of Wimbledon so my mind and body were really exhausted and ready to crash.

On Sunday, I had a fun day shopping in London (I bought myself some earrings as a special present) and then it was time to get ready for the Wimbledon ball. They bring in a stylist and the dressing room downstairs at the All England Club is full of dresses to choose from. I picked a classic black and white ball gown and then had my hair and make-up done, it was so much fun to have a girly day.

The ball was at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and it was such a beautiful location. I went with all my team and it was so nice to see them dressed in black tie with big smiles on their faces. I was a bit nervous about doing the speech in front of everyone but it went pretty well and I think I did a good job with my English.



We got home around 2am and then had to get up at 7am to finish packing up the house and then catch our flight home to the Czech Republic. I carried my trophy with me on the flight and we had a lot of fun taking pictures and celebrating some more.

Since I got home I have done a couple of press conferences, but I have really tried to keep a low profile and just quietly get some rest and take it all in. Of course one of the first things I did was to watch a replay of the final on TV – I still can’t believe how well I played! – and then I just wanted to see my parents again and enjoy all the emotions.

On Sunday I made an appearance in my home town of Fulnek and it was so amazing to see all the support I have from my small town. Lots of people came out to see me, we did a Q and A on the stage and then there was a Czech band playing.

The first time around I wasn’t really ready for all of the attention and the media, but this time I am feeling that I know more what to expect and how to cope. I am more experienced and mature and know that I should just keep my team and family close to me and just go about my life like normal Petra.

Which means that it’s time to get back to training…

Thanks for all your support along this wonderful journey,

Petra
You're welcome Petra, thank you. :) :worship:
 
#2,741 ·
From Petra's blog on her website: :)

You're welcome Petra, thank you. :) :worship:
Wow! :hearts: :worship: :hearts:

Thanks Jack and Petra (Heartstrings)!! :sad: :angel: :sad:

Wonderful summary and ending. I especially love the last line, regarding being ready this time and training (whether Katie wrote some of that or not, since we've heard it since the final). However, I'm sure it's Petra's real feelings. Glad to see her take ownership (gulp/we hope)!? :eek: :lol: :eek:

Good Luck/We'll see?
 
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