KVITOVA WINS IN DUBAI

Petra Kvitova has defeated Sara Errani of Italy in the final of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship. Kvitova won the match by 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

With the help of this title victory, Kvitova has moved up in the world rankings. Before the start of this tournament, her world ranking was 8 and now, she is at no. 7. This was the fourth match between these two players. In the previous three matches, Errani was defeated by Kvitova. Read more »

KVITOVA LOSES OUT

Petra Kvitova has been defeated by Laura Robson of Britain in the second round of the Australian Open 2013. Robson won the match by 2-6, 6-3, 11-9. This was a great upset by the 18 years old youngster. She was completely outplayed in the first set, but, she didn’t get demoralized. She kept fighting hard and ended up pulling off an upset. The match went on for 3 hours and 4 minutes.

Kvitova made a brilliant start to the opening set. In the first four games, both the players held their service and the scorecard was showing 2-2. But, thereafter, nothing went in Robson’s favour in the opening set. Her service was broken twice consecutively and she lost the last four games in a row.

In the second set, Robson made a comeback. The first three games went with the serve. Robson broke Kvitova’s service in the fourth game and then, held her service in the fifth game to take a profound lead of 4-1. Robson got another breakthrough in the sixth game to make the score 5-1.

The British player just needed a serve hold in the next game to grab the set, but, she didn’t manage to do that. She dropped her serve in the 7^th game. Kvitova reduced the lead to 3-5 with a serve hold in the 8^th game. The Czech player needed one more breakthrough to make a comeback in the set, but, that didn’t happen. Robson served out the ninth game with ease and sealed the second set by 6-3.

In the final set, Kvitova was off to a fine start. She broke Robson’s service in the second game and won the first three games in a row to take a lead of 3-0. But, she wasn’t able to keep the lead till the end. Robson got a breakthrough in the fifth game and then, she levelled the scores with a serve hold in the sixth game.

Robson had the chance to take the lead in the 11^th game when she got a breakpoint, but, she didn’t capitalize on that opportunity and the match went further. The British player eventually got a breakthrough in the 19^th game and then, she sealed the third set and match with a serve hold in the 20^th game.

In the third round, Robson will take on Sloane Stephens of USA.

KVITOVA STARTS IN BRISBANE

Petra Kvitova will start her 2013 season by participating in the Brisbane International tennis tournament in January. Kvitova had participated in this tournament twice in the past as well.

In 2009, she was knocked out of the tournament from the very first round after being defeated by Ana Ivanovic of Serbia. While in 2011, she won this tournament by defeating Nadia Petrova of Russia in the final.

Kvitova didn’t participate in Brisbane International this year and decided to begin her 2012 season by participating in the Hopman Cup.  She performed quite well in the Hopman Cup and won four matches to help her team win the title.

She continued her form in the Apia International Sydney tennis tournament and the Australian Open as well and reached the semi finals of both these events. It was a great start for the Czech superstar and it seemed that she was on her way to become the no. 1 player in the world. But, unfortunately, she got injured and had to remain out of action for six weeks.  After getting fit, she made a comeback by participating in the BNP Paribas Open, but, she didn’t manage to perform well in that tournament and was knocked out from the third round after being defeated by Christina Mchale of USA.

In the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships, Kvitova’s performance was quite decent. She reached the semi final in the French Open, while in the Wimbledon Championships; she managed to make her way into the quarterfinals.

After that, she won the Rogers Cup which was played at Montreal and then, grabbed her second title of the year by winning the New Haven Open. In the US Open, Kvitova performed decently and reached the fourth round where she was defeated by Marion Bartoli.

Overall, 2012 was not one of the best seasons for Kvitova and she would definitely like to improve her performance in the next season.

KVITOVA MISSES OUT

The no. 1 player of Serbia, Ana Ivanovic, defeated Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in a singles match in the final of the Federation cup. Ivanovic won the match in the straight sets by 6-3, 7-5. It took her 1 hour and 47 minutes to win the match.

However, Ivanovic’s victory couldn’t seal the title for her country as her countrywoman Jelena Jankovic was thrashed by Lucie Safarova in the next match and Czech Republic won the Fed Cup.

After losing the match, Kvitova said, “I was not 100% fit. I lacked stamina and that’s why, I couldn’t bring enough power in my strokes.”

On the other hand, Ivanovic who was delighted after winning the match said, “It was an important match and I am happy that I stood up to the expectations of the fans. I had played yesterday as well and that experience certainly helped.”

In the first four games of the first set, both the players held their service. Ivanovic managed to break Kvitova’s service in the fifth game and then, she made her lead more profound with a serve hold in the next game. The scorecard was saying 4-2 in the favour of Ivanovic at the end of the sixth game. The next couple of games went with the serve. Ivanovic got another break opportunity in the ninth game and she latched on that break chance to win the first set by 6-3.

Both the players started the second set quite well. There were no breakthroughs in the first three games. Ivanovic broke Kvitova’s service in the fourth game and held her serve in the next game to get ahead by 4-1. The Serb lost her serve in the ninth game, but, she cashed on another break point that she got in the 12^th game and won the match.

KVITOVA LOSES TO NAVARRO

Petra Kvitova has been defeated by Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain in the second round of the China Open. Kvitova lost the match in the straight sets by 3-6, 2-6. She was defeated by Navarro in just 1 hour and 8 minutes.

This was the first defeat of Kvitova against Navarro. These two players had played against each other three times before and Kvitova had won all those encounters. But, she wasn’t able to register her fourth consecutive win against Navarro.

Kvitova was not even close to her best in the match. She made a lot of unnecessary mistakes in both the sets. Kvitova who is ranked at no. 5 in the official rankings of WTA was expected to win this match without having much difficulty, but, the world no. 46 Navarro stunned Kvitova. The 24 years old Spaniard played some brilliant backhand shots. She also played decently from the baseline and served well as well.

Navarro was off to a blistering start in the match. She managed to sneak a breakthrough in the second game of the first set and won the first three games to make the score 3-0. Both the players held their service in the next two games and the score was 4-1 in the favour of Navarro at the end of the fifth game.

The Spaniard got the second breakthrough in the sixth game and she had to hold her serve in the next game to seal the opening set. But, she missed the opportunity. Her service was broken in the 7^th game. However, that lost opportunity didn’t cost Navarro much and she wrapped up the set by holding her service in the ninth game.

Navarro played with aggression in the second set as well. Kvitova’s service was broken twice in the second set and the Czech player lost the second set by 2-6.

Navarro will take on the Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the third round.

KVITOVA MAKES WINNING START

Petra Kvitova has defeated Polona Hercog of Slovenia in the opening round of the US Open at New York. Kvitova won the match in the straight sets by 7-6(6), 6-1. In the first set, the young Slovenian played very well and didn’t let Kvitova win her points easily. But, she didn’t manage to maintain her intensity in the second set. Kvitova demolished Hercog in the second set and cruised into the second round.

In the first 4 games of the first set, neither of the two players was able to sneak a breakthrough and the scores were levelled at 2-2 at the end of the fourth game. Hercog broke Kvitova’s service in the fifth game to take a lead of 3-2, but, she wasn’t able to maintain the lead for too long as Kvitova got a breakthrough in the very next game to level the score. Both the players held their service in the remaining games and the set went into the tie breaker. Hercog matched Kvitova shot by shot in the tie breaker as well. But, she lost a few points towards the end and Kvitova managed to grab the first set. In the second set, there was a considerable deterioration in Hercog’s performance. Kvitova broke Hercog’s service twice in the second set and took a profound lead of 5-1. It was very tough for Hercog to make a comeback in the match from that stage. Kvitova wrapped up the match by holding her service in the 7^th game of the second set.

This was the first match between these two players. On being asked about her opponent, Kvitova said that Hercog is extremely talented, but, she is a bit inexperienced. The more she will play, the better she will get. In the second round, Kvitova will play against Alize Cornet of France.