Petkovic says bet with coach triggered unique post-match ‘Petko Dance’

MELBOURNE - German tennis star Andrea Petkovic has revealed that her famous “Petko Dance” had evolved after a bet with her coach Petar Popovic.

The Petko Dance is busted out by Petkovic after every win, and has now become an Internet sensation after she defeated Samantha Stosur and Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open.

“It started off as a bet with my coach. He had an idea after I played a terrible summer season in the US and I got Nadia Petrova in the first round of the US Open, which was a tough draw for me back then,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Petkovic, as saying.

“So he said, ‘If you win, you have to do something special because it’s a special match for us’.”

“I won 7-6 in the third, so I got the inspiration of doing a dance, and ever since it’s there. I’m very superstitious, so since I’m doing the dance I’m playing much better. I try to keep it up: the playing better and the dance,” she added.

The 23-year-old, who defeated Sharapova in the fourth round of the Australian Open, is brimming with confidence entering her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.

“It’s probably the best match I played on such a big stage. I tried to mix it up a little bit. Normally my game is to play very flat and aggressively, but I tried to give it some spin on the forehand and play some slice and mix up my serve,” Petkovic said.

“I tried to keep up the percentage of my first serve and tried to return very aggressively. I think I played very well tactically wise,” she added.

Petkovic will now face China’s ninth seed Li Na in the quarter-finals. (ANI)