Fed Cup Highlights: Petra Kvitova v Sara Errani
Kvitova Online video Ranking: 5 / five[/random]
Kvitova Online video Ranking: 5 / five[/random]
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 7th game. Kvitova reduced the lead to 3-5 with a serve hold in the 8th 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 11th 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 19th game and then, she sealed the third set and match with a serve hold in the 20th game.
In the third round, Robson will take on Sloane Stephens of USA.
Kvitova Video Rating: four / 5[/random]
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 Online video Rating: 4 / 5[/random]
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 12th game and won the match.