Madrid champion Petra Kvitova skipped Rome in order to play the 100k ITF tournament in Prague. The bad news is that, during the week, she sustained a hip injury. She also lost the final to Memphis champion Magdalena Rybarikova, who defeated her 6-3, 6-4. Rybarikova was the 4th seed; Kvitova was the 1st.
Kvitova was to have played in the new Brussels tournament that starts tomorrow, but she is no longer in the draw.
Showing posts with label Petra Kvitova. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Petra Kvitova. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Kvitova wins Madrid championship
Petra Kvitova, the 16th seed at the Madrid Open, went up 3-0 in the opening set of today's championship match, and she was a point away from going up 4-0, but 4th seed Victoria Azarenka then got on the scoreboard and eventually made matters even. The set went to a tiebreak, which Kvitova won. To casual observers, this was a case of the Czech player's obtaining a second chance to do what she "should" have done earlier in the set.
Casual observers would be correct, of course, but such a progression through a set is kind of the "Kvitova way." Because she takes so many risks and plays such intense offensive tennis, the 16th seed makes a lot of errors. Yes, it would be better if she didn't. However, because of Kvitova's excellent serve and her ability to remain calm, she often finds a way to take back what she gave up. In fact, the more important the match, the more likely Kvitova is to rescue herself and take control.
In today's match, Kvitova use her wide serve to her advantage over and over, but she also varied the serve, and she hit second serves that set up winners for her. The Czech player was also careful to avoid Azarenka's backhand as much as possible. Both Kvitova and Azarenka are "first strike" players, producing the type of tennis that I don't especially enjoy watching, but that I can certainly appreciate. The rallies were short in this match, and it was Kvitova who showed more skill in setting up and executing winners. Azarenka was forced into a defensive position much of the time, and--as good as she is--she just didn't have enough answers when Kvitova went for wider and wider angles.
In the second set of today's match, Azarenka had opportunities to draw out the match. She broke Kvitova twice, but Kvitova used her big serve to come back. When she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, the Czech player put some showy icing on the cake: She hit an ace and three winners--service, forehand and backhand, to hold at love for a 7-6, 6-4 victory.
The stats confirm that this was a "typical" Kvitova match: The champion hit 40 winners and made 34 unforced errors. She will be number 10 in the world when the new rankings are published. Azarenka, who won the doubles championship with Maria Kirilenko, will be number 4.
Kvitova, who made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, is more of a fast-court player. The altitude in Madrid makes the clay surface faster than most, so Kvitova's work may be cut out for her when she arrives in Paris for the French Open, especially if weather conditions make the courts especially slow and the balls become heavy. Winning her third title this year is certainly good for Kvitova's confidence, however, and her ability to keep a cool head is most advantageous.
One final note: The "success" of having a combined tournament is a joke in Madrid. There were not that many people in the stands to watch the women's championship, so perhaps the Madrid organizers could spend less time and energy auditioning models and more time promoting the women's game. Of course, to do that, they would have to actually care.
Casual observers would be correct, of course, but such a progression through a set is kind of the "Kvitova way." Because she takes so many risks and plays such intense offensive tennis, the 16th seed makes a lot of errors. Yes, it would be better if she didn't. However, because of Kvitova's excellent serve and her ability to remain calm, she often finds a way to take back what she gave up. In fact, the more important the match, the more likely Kvitova is to rescue herself and take control.
In today's match, Kvitova use her wide serve to her advantage over and over, but she also varied the serve, and she hit second serves that set up winners for her. The Czech player was also careful to avoid Azarenka's backhand as much as possible. Both Kvitova and Azarenka are "first strike" players, producing the type of tennis that I don't especially enjoy watching, but that I can certainly appreciate. The rallies were short in this match, and it was Kvitova who showed more skill in setting up and executing winners. Azarenka was forced into a defensive position much of the time, and--as good as she is--she just didn't have enough answers when Kvitova went for wider and wider angles.
In the second set of today's match, Azarenka had opportunities to draw out the match. She broke Kvitova twice, but Kvitova used her big serve to come back. When she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, the Czech player put some showy icing on the cake: She hit an ace and three winners--service, forehand and backhand, to hold at love for a 7-6, 6-4 victory.
The stats confirm that this was a "typical" Kvitova match: The champion hit 40 winners and made 34 unforced errors. She will be number 10 in the world when the new rankings are published. Azarenka, who won the doubles championship with Maria Kirilenko, will be number 4.
Kvitova, who made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, is more of a fast-court player. The altitude in Madrid makes the clay surface faster than most, so Kvitova's work may be cut out for her when she arrives in Paris for the French Open, especially if weather conditions make the courts especially slow and the balls become heavy. Winning her third title this year is certainly good for Kvitova's confidence, however, and her ability to keep a cool head is most advantageous.
One final note: The "success" of having a combined tournament is a joke in Madrid. There were not that many people in the stands to watch the women's championship, so perhaps the Madrid organizers could spend less time and energy auditioning models and more time promoting the women's game. Of course, to do that, they would have to actually care.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Passing shots
Svetlana Kuznetsova has split with her coach, Carlos Cuadrado. When it comes to Kuznetsova and Ivanovic, I need to have a "________ has split with _________" template on the ready.
Petra Kvitova and Vera Zvonareva are skipping the tournament in Rome. Kvitova will play in a $100k challenger in Prague.
Lisa Raymond recently had brunch with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss in New York City. Raymond calls King a "ball of positive energy."
Piotr Wozniacki has taken a page from the Walter Bartoli playbook, and--during the clay season--is requiring Caroline to do three-hour workouts every day, including the days she plays matches.
Here is a video peek of Maria Sharapova's Eiffel Tower-inspired French Open dress.
Petra Kvitova and Vera Zvonareva are skipping the tournament in Rome. Kvitova will play in a $100k challenger in Prague.
Lisa Raymond recently had brunch with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss in New York City. Raymond calls King a "ball of positive energy."
Piotr Wozniacki has taken a page from the Walter Bartoli playbook, and--during the clay season--is requiring Caroline to do three-hour workouts every day, including the days she plays matches.
Here is a video peek of Maria Sharapova's Eiffel Tower-inspired French Open dress.
Azarenka and Kirilenko win Madrid doubles title
5th seeds Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko won the doubles championship in Madrid today. They defeated 2nd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Azarenka isn't finished, however; she will play against Petra Kvitova in the singles championship match tomorrow. Azarenka defeated Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals, ending the German player's 10-match win streak. Goerges appeared to be in a state of mental, if not physical, fatigue throughout much of the match.
Kvitova, seeded 16th, easily defeated 6th seed Li Na 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals. Kvitova's quarterfinal victory puts her in the top 10 for the first time. When the rankings are published next week. she will be number 10 in the world. Azarenka will be number 4.
Azarenka isn't finished, however; she will play against Petra Kvitova in the singles championship match tomorrow. Azarenka defeated Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals, ending the German player's 10-match win streak. Goerges appeared to be in a state of mental, if not physical, fatigue throughout much of the match.
Kvitova, seeded 16th, easily defeated 6th seed Li Na 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals. Kvitova's quarterfinal victory puts her in the top 10 for the first time. When the rankings are published next week. she will be number 10 in the world. Azarenka will be number 4.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Goerges and Azarenka to play in Madrid semifinals
People who saw Julia Goerges play (I didn't) in the third round of the Madrid Open said she looked pretty tired. She wasn't too tired to defeat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals, however. Goerges' 6-4, 6-2 victory places her in the semifinals against 4th seed Victoria Azarenka. In the last two months, Azarenka has either retired from events or won them. She had to retire in the quarterfinals of Indian Wells because of a hip injury (an ongoing problem), and she retired with a shoulder injury in the second round in Stuttgart. Azarenka won titles in Miami and Marbella.
To get to the semifinals, Azarenka defeated Lucie Safarova 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. The Belarusian is now 6-0 against Safarova, who took her first set off of Azarenka today.
Li Na--who has never been known for her performance on clay, and who had experienced quite a downfall since her big Australian Open run--is somewhat of a surprise semifinalist, despite being seeded 6th. Li defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Mattek-Sands gave Li a lot of opposition, but then was easil broken at love in the final game.
Li's opponent will be Petra Kvitova, the 16th seed. Kvitova is a bit of a surprise, too, in that one might not expect her to perform at a high level on red clay. But she defeated a very good clay performer, Dominika Cibulkova, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Kvitova is just full of surprises, however, and I look forward to seeing what the next one will be.
Azarenka and her partner, Maria Kirilenko, seeded 5th in doubles, defeated the 3rd seeds, Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova, in today's semifinals. Their opponents in the Madrid final will be 2nd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Peschke and Srebotnik defeated Casey Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs 6-1, 4-6, 10-2.
To get to the semifinals, Azarenka defeated Lucie Safarova 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. The Belarusian is now 6-0 against Safarova, who took her first set off of Azarenka today.
Li Na--who has never been known for her performance on clay, and who had experienced quite a downfall since her big Australian Open run--is somewhat of a surprise semifinalist, despite being seeded 6th. Li defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Mattek-Sands gave Li a lot of opposition, but then was easil broken at love in the final game.
Li's opponent will be Petra Kvitova, the 16th seed. Kvitova is a bit of a surprise, too, in that one might not expect her to perform at a high level on red clay. But she defeated a very good clay performer, Dominika Cibulkova, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Kvitova is just full of surprises, however, and I look forward to seeing what the next one will be.
Azarenka and her partner, Maria Kirilenko, seeded 5th in doubles, defeated the 3rd seeds, Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova, in today's semifinals. Their opponents in the Madrid final will be 2nd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Peschke and Srebotnik defeated Casey Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs 6-1, 4-6, 10-2.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Pavlyuchenkova defeats Kvitova in Miami
12th seed Petra Kvitova, whose game was on fire early in the season, was defeated by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open today. Kvitova sustained an abdominal injury a couple of months ago, and that slowed her down; she has not returned to the form that enabled her to win two titles at the beginning of the year. Pavlyuchenkova, who is seeded 17th in Miami, posted a score of 6-4, 6-7, 6-0.
It took her three sets, but 8th seed Victoria Azarenka was able to fight off an in-form Dominika Cibulkova, Kim Clijsters was taken to three sets by Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, but the 2nd seed prevailed, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. 5th seed Francesca Schiavone defeated Lourdes Dominguez Lino in a close two sets.
Indian Wells champions Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina lost to Daniela Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round today, and 6th seeds Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova were upset by wild cards Ana Ivanovic and Andrea Petkovic.
Petkovic will meet top seed Caroline Wozniacki in singles play in the fourth round. Petkovic, who is seeded 21st, has never played Wozniacki at a WTA event.
It took her three sets, but 8th seed Victoria Azarenka was able to fight off an in-form Dominika Cibulkova, Kim Clijsters was taken to three sets by Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, but the 2nd seed prevailed, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. 5th seed Francesca Schiavone defeated Lourdes Dominguez Lino in a close two sets.
Indian Wells champions Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina lost to Daniela Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round today, and 6th seeds Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova were upset by wild cards Ana Ivanovic and Andrea Petkovic.
Petkovic will meet top seed Caroline Wozniacki in singles play in the fourth round. Petkovic, who is seeded 21st, has never played Wozniacki at a WTA event.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Passing shots
Stephanie Cohen-Aloro has retired from professional tennis. The Frenchwoman held her highest singles ranking, 61, in 2003.
Simon Reed believes that Petra Kvitova is the real thing.
If Caroline Wozniacki reaches the semifinals in Dubai, she will again be number 1 in the world. Paris champion Petra Kvitova was defeated in the first round today in double tiebreaks by Ayumi Morita, which clears one of Wozniacki's potential obstacles.
Recently retired WTA Tour star Justine Henin is considering undergoing surgery for her elbow. She is going to take a few months to think about it, and hopes to be able to skip the operation.
Pattaya City champion Daniela Hantuchova experienced dizziness during her first-round match against Anna Chakvetadze in Dubai. She and Paris champion Petra Kvitova were both defeated in the first round. Kvitova cited exhaustion and a painful stomach muscle.
There may eventually be night matches at the French Open.
In World Team Tennis, the New York Buzz and the New York Sportimes have merged. The new team will be called the New York Sportimes, and all but two of its matches will be played at Randall's Island in New York City. The other matches will be played in Albany, the home of the New York Buzz.
Simon Reed believes that Petra Kvitova is the real thing.
If Caroline Wozniacki reaches the semifinals in Dubai, she will again be number 1 in the world. Paris champion Petra Kvitova was defeated in the first round today in double tiebreaks by Ayumi Morita, which clears one of Wozniacki's potential obstacles.
Recently retired WTA Tour star Justine Henin is considering undergoing surgery for her elbow. She is going to take a few months to think about it, and hopes to be able to skip the operation.
Pattaya City champion Daniela Hantuchova experienced dizziness during her first-round match against Anna Chakvetadze in Dubai. She and Paris champion Petra Kvitova were both defeated in the first round. Kvitova cited exhaustion and a painful stomach muscle.
There may eventually be night matches at the French Open.
In World Team Tennis, the New York Buzz and the New York Sportimes have merged. The new team will be called the New York Sportimes, and all but two of its matches will be played at Randall's Island in New York City. The other matches will be played in Albany, the home of the New York Buzz.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Kvitova defeats Clijsters to win Paris championship
In both the second round and the quarterfinals at the Open GDF SUEZ, Petra Kvitova came from behind to win. Her match against friend and countrywoman Barbora Zahlavova Strycova lasted three and a quarter hours, and she followed that with another three-set match. She had an easy win in the semifinals, but one had to wonder how much--physically and mentally--she had left to give in the final.
Enough, as it turns out. The fourth seed defeated new world number 1 Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-3, hit ten aces along the way, and once again displayed a steady and thoughtful demeanor that is in contrast to the up-and-comer we saw just a year and a half ago. Australian Open champion Clijsters was the favorite to win in Paris, but Kvitova outshone her in both serving and returning. Kvitova won the match on the Belgian's serve, though Clijsters saved one match point by hitting her only ace.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy won the doubles championship. The 3rd seeds defeated Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 6-2.
Enough, as it turns out. The fourth seed defeated new world number 1 Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-3, hit ten aces along the way, and once again displayed a steady and thoughtful demeanor that is in contrast to the up-and-comer we saw just a year and a half ago. Australian Open champion Clijsters was the favorite to win in Paris, but Kvitova outshone her in both serving and returning. Kvitova won the match on the Belgian's serve, though Clijsters saved one match point by hitting her only ace.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy won the doubles championship. The 3rd seeds defeated Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 6-2.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Kvitova in Paris final
Petra Kvitova was involved in some very long, mentally draining matches this week, but she made quick work of Bethanie Mattek-Sands in today's Paris semifinals, winning 6-2, 6-0 in just under an hour. 4th seed Kvitova will play new world number 1 Kim Clijsters in the final. Clijsters defeated 3rd seed Kaia Kanepi 6-1, 7-5.
In Pattaya City, top seed Vera Zvonareva's quest for a third straight title was stopped by Daniela Hantuchova. Zvonareva had problems with some of the line calls (which, I've heard, left a lot to be desired), and wound up getting a point penalty at a crucial time. What would have been her ad point was ruled by the chair umpire to be re-played, and Zvonareva's objection was deemed to be over the line. A referee made the final decision, and a penalty was enforced, giving Hantuchova match point, which she converted. Hantuchova won with a score of 7-6, 6-4.
Hantuchova, who is seeded 4th, will play 8th seed Sara Errani in the final. Errani didn't have an easy time of it, either: She had to play friend and long-time doubles partner, Roberta Vinci, in the semifinals. Errani and Vinci will play in the doubles final, in which their opponents will be Sun Shengan and Zheng Jie.
The Paris doubles final will feature 3rd seeds Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, who will play against Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova.
In Pattaya City, top seed Vera Zvonareva's quest for a third straight title was stopped by Daniela Hantuchova. Zvonareva had problems with some of the line calls (which, I've heard, left a lot to be desired), and wound up getting a point penalty at a crucial time. What would have been her ad point was ruled by the chair umpire to be re-played, and Zvonareva's objection was deemed to be over the line. A referee made the final decision, and a penalty was enforced, giving Hantuchova match point, which she converted. Hantuchova won with a score of 7-6, 6-4.
Hantuchova, who is seeded 4th, will play 8th seed Sara Errani in the final. Errani didn't have an easy time of it, either: She had to play friend and long-time doubles partner, Roberta Vinci, in the semifinals. Errani and Vinci will play in the doubles final, in which their opponents will be Sun Shengan and Zheng Jie.
The Paris doubles final will feature 3rd seeds Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, who will play against Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Passing shots
Ana Ivanovic has already parted ways with new coach Antonio van Grichen. Ivanovic says her plan is to hire a full-time hitting partner while she shops for a coach. van Grichen, who formerly coached both Victoria Azarenka and Vera Zvonareva, had been working with Ivanovic only since the off-season.
Meanwhile, Galina Voskoboeva has returned to the tour and has a new coach--recently retired WTA player Alina Jidkova. Voskoboeva defeated Sania Mirza, the number 1 qualifying seed, in Pattaya City, and is into the second round with a defeat of Romina Oprandi.
Li Na has signed a deal with ice cream company Haagen-Dazs, and is set to sign one with Rolex.
Petra Kvitova is blogging from Paris.
Lisa Raymond is now writing a regular blog, Lisa's Spin, for the WTA Tour.
Meanwhile, Galina Voskoboeva has returned to the tour and has a new coach--recently retired WTA player Alina Jidkova. Voskoboeva defeated Sania Mirza, the number 1 qualifying seed, in Pattaya City, and is into the second round with a defeat of Romina Oprandi.
Li Na has signed a deal with ice cream company Haagen-Dazs, and is set to sign one with Rolex.
Petra Kvitova is blogging from Paris.
Lisa Raymond is now writing a regular blog, Lisa's Spin, for the WTA Tour.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
France up 2-0 against Russia in Fed Cup World Group
Until today, Alize Cornet of France had never won a Fed Cup match. In fact, a few years ago, she asked to be removed from second day play because she could not handle the pressure of Fed Cup competition. It was a different story today, though: In the first rubber of competition against former champion Russia, Cornet defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Cornet twisted her ankle in the final set, and had to take time out to have it bandaged.
In the second rubber, Virginie Razzano defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. Sharapova went down 1-4 in the second set, but caught up. Russia's hopes were quickly dashed, however, when Razzano broke Sharapova in the next game, and then held at love to win the match. It was a fine display of tennis from the Frenchwoman, who has what it takes to beat higher-ranked players. As for Sharapova--it wasn't a performance she'll want to think about.
Belgium is up 2-0 against the USA. Yanina Wickmayer saved a set point in her second set against Bethanie Mattek-Sands, then defeated her 6-1, 7-6. Kim Clijsters then defeated Melanie Oudin 6-0, 6-4.
Also leading 2-0 is the Czech Republic. Lucie Safarova defeated Daniela Hantuchova of the Slovak Republic, 7-5, 6-1, and Petra Kvitova defeated Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-3. Kvitova looked really good in this match, and--as she continues to refine the rough edges of her game--she looks more and more like someone who who is headed to the top of the game.
Defending champion Italy is tied 1-1 with Australia. Francesca Schiavone (though she took the first set the hard way, in a tiebreak) was up a set and 2-0, and had two break points against Jarmila Groth. But what looked like a relatively easy win for Italy turned into an upset, as Groth held her serve, then turned the match around. Schiavone went down 3-5, 0-30 in the second set, but saved three match points. She then hit an ace to get a game point, but it began to rain and play stopped. When the players returned to the court, Schiavone saved a fourth match point with a drop shot, but Groth was successful with her fifth match point. She defeated Schiavone 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
In the next rubber, however, Italy was able to even the score as Flavia Pennetta defeated Sam Stosur 7-6, 6-7, 6-4. Stosur served for both sets, but was broken. Pennetta is now 4-0 against Stosur; this is the first time Stosur has ever taken a set off of the Italian.
Tomorrow, in the Russia-France competition, Sharapova is scheduled to play Cornet in the third rubber, but no one should be surprised if Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is selected to sub for Sharapova.
In the second rubber, Virginie Razzano defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. Sharapova went down 1-4 in the second set, but caught up. Russia's hopes were quickly dashed, however, when Razzano broke Sharapova in the next game, and then held at love to win the match. It was a fine display of tennis from the Frenchwoman, who has what it takes to beat higher-ranked players. As for Sharapova--it wasn't a performance she'll want to think about.
Belgium is up 2-0 against the USA. Yanina Wickmayer saved a set point in her second set against Bethanie Mattek-Sands, then defeated her 6-1, 7-6. Kim Clijsters then defeated Melanie Oudin 6-0, 6-4.
Also leading 2-0 is the Czech Republic. Lucie Safarova defeated Daniela Hantuchova of the Slovak Republic, 7-5, 6-1, and Petra Kvitova defeated Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-3. Kvitova looked really good in this match, and--as she continues to refine the rough edges of her game--she looks more and more like someone who who is headed to the top of the game.
Defending champion Italy is tied 1-1 with Australia. Francesca Schiavone (though she took the first set the hard way, in a tiebreak) was up a set and 2-0, and had two break points against Jarmila Groth. But what looked like a relatively easy win for Italy turned into an upset, as Groth held her serve, then turned the match around. Schiavone went down 3-5, 0-30 in the second set, but saved three match points. She then hit an ace to get a game point, but it began to rain and play stopped. When the players returned to the court, Schiavone saved a fourth match point with a drop shot, but Groth was successful with her fifth match point. She defeated Schiavone 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.
In the next rubber, however, Italy was able to even the score as Flavia Pennetta defeated Sam Stosur 7-6, 6-7, 6-4. Stosur served for both sets, but was broken. Pennetta is now 4-0 against Stosur; this is the first time Stosur has ever taken a set off of the Italian.
Tomorrow, in the Russia-France competition, Sharapova is scheduled to play Cornet in the third rubber, but no one should be surprised if Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is selected to sub for Sharapova.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Clijsters and Zvonareva advance to Australian Open semifinals
Vera Zvonareva, the Australian Open number 2 seed, played her fourth left-handed opponent (and her third left-handed Czech opponent) today in the quarterfinals. Zvonareva expertly defeated an unsteady Petra Kvitova (seeded 25th) 6-2, 6-4. The match wasn't without its drama. Australia Day cannons were firing, and a fan apparently fell and hurt herself on some steps in the stands. Sometimes I think Australian Open and U.S. Open officials compete to see who can distract the most players. Zvonareva was obviously bothered by all the goings-on, and she slipped and let Kvitova in in the second set. Kvitova took the opportunity, but she made too many careless errors to make much of an impact. Zvonareva made only twelve unforced errors in the match; Kvitova made 28. The young Czech player has big hitting talent, but she showed tonight that she isn't ready for a really big stage. She's definitely one to keep an eye on, though. A calmer, more cerebral Kvitova could be a force in the future; the good news is that she has already made refinements in her game in the past year.
3rd seed Kim Clijsters won the other semifinal. Clijsters defeated 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 7-6. The Belgian went off her game in the second set, and Radwanska used her court savvy to throw Clijsters off her rhythm. But Radwanska's serve, which drags behind the rest of her game, holds her back from defeating someone like Clijsters, who is not only athletic and powerful, but can also pull out several different shots when she needs to.
Radwanska served for the second set at 5-4, 30-0, but was broken. She also made unforced in situations in which she had carefully set up winners. All the same, it was an entertaining second set--though not so much when the Australian Day planes buzzed over the court repeatedly. And Radwanska, having just returned from foot surgery, is to be commended for making it to the quarterfinals.
The percentages for Clijsters are worth examining. She hit 41 winners and made 37 unforced errors. That is officially a "good" statistic, but Clijsters has been making a very high number of unforced errors throughout the tournament.
Wednesday, as previously mentioned, was Australia Day, which means that the ESPN crew eats Vegemite and invites a player to do likewise. Vera Zvonareva tried the Australian staple (Kim Clijsters didn't), though she recalled that she didn't like it when she sampled it five years ago. It turns out that she still doesn't like it, but she made an effort. Meanwhile, the sight of Brad Gilbert chewing with his mouth open was revolting. The good news is that, as soon as the Australian zoo creatures were brought onto the set, Gilbert made an exit.
3rd seed Kim Clijsters won the other semifinal. Clijsters defeated 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 7-6. The Belgian went off her game in the second set, and Radwanska used her court savvy to throw Clijsters off her rhythm. But Radwanska's serve, which drags behind the rest of her game, holds her back from defeating someone like Clijsters, who is not only athletic and powerful, but can also pull out several different shots when she needs to.
Radwanska served for the second set at 5-4, 30-0, but was broken. She also made unforced in situations in which she had carefully set up winners. All the same, it was an entertaining second set--though not so much when the Australian Day planes buzzed over the court repeatedly. And Radwanska, having just returned from foot surgery, is to be commended for making it to the quarterfinals.
The percentages for Clijsters are worth examining. She hit 41 winners and made 37 unforced errors. That is officially a "good" statistic, but Clijsters has been making a very high number of unforced errors throughout the tournament.
Wednesday, as previously mentioned, was Australia Day, which means that the ESPN crew eats Vegemite and invites a player to do likewise. Vera Zvonareva tried the Australian staple (Kim Clijsters didn't), though she recalled that she didn't like it when she sampled it five years ago. It turns out that she still doesn't like it, but she made an effort. Meanwhile, the sight of Brad Gilbert chewing with his mouth open was revolting. The good news is that, as soon as the Australian zoo creatures were brought onto the set, Gilbert made an exit.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Radwanska and Peng--together again as you always wanted to see them
Agnieszka Radwanska and Peng Shuai are incapable of stepping onto a tennis court together and quickly getting off. Every time they play one another, it's a knock-down, drag-out affair, with no shortage of entertainment for spectators. Old habits die hard: You can expect Peng to work extra hard to overcome her lack of a strong serve, you can expect Radwanska to have a very poor second serve, and you can look for Peng to most likely let match points slip by.
That was the case in the Australian Open round of 16 match which Radwanska won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, but only after two hours and 44 minutes of tough, and often frustrating, competition. Radwanska, who became error-prone and passive in the second set, went up 3-1, 40-0 in the third. There was a questionable line call, and maybe that threw her off her rhythm, or maybe it was just inevitable that she and Peng drag the set out as long as possible. At any rate, Radwanska was broken in that game. Peng served for the match at 5-4, and Radwanska saved two match points. Finally, Radwanska won, on her second match point.
Radwanska wasn't even supposed to be in Melbourne. After having surgery in October for a stress fracture in her foot, she was told she could return to the tour in March, and that there was a one per cent chance she could play in the Australian Open. The straight-faced player from Poland provided the biggest laugh of the first week (and probably of the tournament) in an earlier round, when her racquet head flew off in the middle of a rally. After her fourth round match against Peng, Radwanska can probably be declared an official safety hazard: During the match, she hit a return which smacked a ballboy right in the head. Radwanska stopped play, checked on the ballboy, and shook his hand. Apparently, there was no real harm done.
Other round of 16 matches weren't as eventful, but they were certainly worth watching. 2nd seed Vera Zvonareva gradually worked her way into her match against Iveta Benesova, and eventually built up enough momentum to completely dominate the Czech player. Benesova, who had taken out two other Russian seeds, lost control of her serve, most likely because she was done in by the occasion. Zvonareva defeated her 6-4, 6-1.
And then there was Petra Kvitova, who defeated Flavia Pennetta 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Pennetta served extremely well in the first set, and looked as though she might make short work of the rising Czech player. But in the second set, Pennetta did not serve as well, and Kvitova's confidence shot up. The longer they played, the more deadly Kvitova's shot-making became, and she wore Pennetta down. Kvitova made 43 unforced errors, compared with Pennetta's 33. However, she also hit 46 winners, compared with Pennetta's 16. (You might call her the anti-Woz.)
A notable upset occurred in the junior girls' competition on Monday. Kanami Tsuji of Japan defeated top seed Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-3. Gavrilova won the U.S. Open in juniors, and also won a gold medal at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.
That was the case in the Australian Open round of 16 match which Radwanska won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, but only after two hours and 44 minutes of tough, and often frustrating, competition. Radwanska, who became error-prone and passive in the second set, went up 3-1, 40-0 in the third. There was a questionable line call, and maybe that threw her off her rhythm, or maybe it was just inevitable that she and Peng drag the set out as long as possible. At any rate, Radwanska was broken in that game. Peng served for the match at 5-4, and Radwanska saved two match points. Finally, Radwanska won, on her second match point.
Radwanska wasn't even supposed to be in Melbourne. After having surgery in October for a stress fracture in her foot, she was told she could return to the tour in March, and that there was a one per cent chance she could play in the Australian Open. The straight-faced player from Poland provided the biggest laugh of the first week (and probably of the tournament) in an earlier round, when her racquet head flew off in the middle of a rally. After her fourth round match against Peng, Radwanska can probably be declared an official safety hazard: During the match, she hit a return which smacked a ballboy right in the head. Radwanska stopped play, checked on the ballboy, and shook his hand. Apparently, there was no real harm done.
Other round of 16 matches weren't as eventful, but they were certainly worth watching. 2nd seed Vera Zvonareva gradually worked her way into her match against Iveta Benesova, and eventually built up enough momentum to completely dominate the Czech player. Benesova, who had taken out two other Russian seeds, lost control of her serve, most likely because she was done in by the occasion. Zvonareva defeated her 6-4, 6-1.
And then there was Petra Kvitova, who defeated Flavia Pennetta 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Pennetta served extremely well in the first set, and looked as though she might make short work of the rising Czech player. But in the second set, Pennetta did not serve as well, and Kvitova's confidence shot up. The longer they played, the more deadly Kvitova's shot-making became, and she wore Pennetta down. Kvitova made 43 unforced errors, compared with Pennetta's 33. However, she also hit 46 winners, compared with Pennetta's 16. (You might call her the anti-Woz.)
A notable upset occurred in the junior girls' competition on Monday. Kanami Tsuji of Japan defeated top seed Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-3. Gavrilova won the U.S. Open in juniors, and also won a gold medal at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Stosur out of Australian Open
Theoretically, a tall, left-handed, flat-hitting opponent with a strong forehand has what it takes to give Sam Stosur a lot of trouble. That became more than theory on the sixth day of the Australian Open: Brisbane champion Petra Kvitova upset 5th seed Stosur 7-6, 6-3. Kvitova, the tournament's 25th seed, hit hard flat balls repeatedly to Stosur's backhand, which is decidedly Stosur's weaker side. The Stosur forehand broke down, too, although Kvitova ended the match with more unforced errors than Stosur. She also ended the match with 35 winners, opposed to Stosur's eleven, all of which were hit in the first set. Most impressive were Kvitova's first and second serve win percentages of 80 and 58.
This is not the first time that Stosur has run into a player who isn't bothered by her kick serve and her heavy topspin. Players like Kvitova, who hit the ball flat and go for the lines, can dictate play and neutralize the hitting of even a talented player like the Australian. It was a bonus for Kvitova that she is also left-handed.
Stosur's upset was the biggest on the sixth day, but she had company. Iveta Benesova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova played a see-saw match that ended with a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 victory for Benesova over the 16th seed. Each player dominated a set, and the third set was a constant struggle for domination. In the end, though, Benesova was clever, and Pavlyuchenkova was worn down. The Czech doubles star has now removed two Russian seeds (she upset Maria Kirilenko in the second round), and she gets 2nd seed Vera Zvonareva in the next round.
Zvonareva was hardly at her best in her third round match, but she got past 31st seed Lucie Safarova, 6-3, 7-6. Kim Clijsters, the third seed, was far below her best, but defeated Alize Cornet 7-6, 6-3. 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska had an easy win over Simona Halep, and Peng Shuai defeated Ayumi Morita. Peng was cramping pretty badly toward the end of the match, and was hobbling around the court. That didn't stop her from winning, of course, and let's hope that she gets sufficient rest before her next round.
13th seed Nadia Petrova is out, too. Petrova played Ekaterina Makarova, who upset 19th seed Ana Ivanovic in the first round. For all of its flaws, this match was fun to watch. Each woman took a set, and--just as with the Benesova-Pavlyuchenkova match--the third set was a drawn-out struggle for domination. Makarova served for the match twice and was broken both times. The second time, she had two match points. The Russian player stayed surprisingly calm in the face of so many lost opportunities, and hung in while Petrova's unforced errors increased. At the end of the 72-minutes third set, Makarova advanced with a 6-2, 3-6, 8-6 victory.
Shahar Peer, the 10th seed, played an aggressive first set against 22nd seed Flavia Pennetta and won it 6-3. Pennetta dialed her play up a notch in the second set, and won it impressively in a tiebreak. One of the commentators made a point of reminding viewers that Pennetta is quite familiar with Peer's tendency to back away and play it safe, and that's exactly what happened. Pennetta took the third set 6-4, and advanced to the next round. Peer is a good player with a lot of tenacity, but when the tension arises, she tends to wilt, just when she should be more aggressive.
This is not the first time that Stosur has run into a player who isn't bothered by her kick serve and her heavy topspin. Players like Kvitova, who hit the ball flat and go for the lines, can dictate play and neutralize the hitting of even a talented player like the Australian. It was a bonus for Kvitova that she is also left-handed.
Stosur's upset was the biggest on the sixth day, but she had company. Iveta Benesova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova played a see-saw match that ended with a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 victory for Benesova over the 16th seed. Each player dominated a set, and the third set was a constant struggle for domination. In the end, though, Benesova was clever, and Pavlyuchenkova was worn down. The Czech doubles star has now removed two Russian seeds (she upset Maria Kirilenko in the second round), and she gets 2nd seed Vera Zvonareva in the next round.
Zvonareva was hardly at her best in her third round match, but she got past 31st seed Lucie Safarova, 6-3, 7-6. Kim Clijsters, the third seed, was far below her best, but defeated Alize Cornet 7-6, 6-3. 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska had an easy win over Simona Halep, and Peng Shuai defeated Ayumi Morita. Peng was cramping pretty badly toward the end of the match, and was hobbling around the court. That didn't stop her from winning, of course, and let's hope that she gets sufficient rest before her next round.
13th seed Nadia Petrova is out, too. Petrova played Ekaterina Makarova, who upset 19th seed Ana Ivanovic in the first round. For all of its flaws, this match was fun to watch. Each woman took a set, and--just as with the Benesova-Pavlyuchenkova match--the third set was a drawn-out struggle for domination. Makarova served for the match twice and was broken both times. The second time, she had two match points. The Russian player stayed surprisingly calm in the face of so many lost opportunities, and hung in while Petrova's unforced errors increased. At the end of the 72-minutes third set, Makarova advanced with a 6-2, 3-6, 8-6 victory.
Shahar Peer, the 10th seed, played an aggressive first set against 22nd seed Flavia Pennetta and won it 6-3. Pennetta dialed her play up a notch in the second set, and won it impressively in a tiebreak. One of the commentators made a point of reminding viewers that Pennetta is quite familiar with Peer's tendency to back away and play it safe, and that's exactly what happened. Pennetta took the third set 6-4, and advanced to the next round. Peer is a good player with a lot of tenacity, but when the tension arises, she tends to wilt, just when she should be more aggressive.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Kvitova wins Brisbane
Petra Kvitova, who caused a stir last year at Wimbledon, got her 2011 season off to a roaring start today by winning the Brisbane International. Kvitova defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 6-3 in the final. Both players were unseeded. On her way to the final, Kvitova upset 3rd seed Nadia Petrova and 5th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and also Dominika Cibulkova. This is Kvitova's second WTA Tour title.
Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska had a difficult season last year, often having to play with other partners in order to obtain points. In Brisbane, however, the Polish team took out both the 2nd and 3rd seeds, and made it to the final. That was the end of their run, however; the unseeded team of Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated them 6-3, 7-5, and won the title. This was only the second time that Kleybanova and Pavlyuchenkova had played together in doubles.
Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska had a difficult season last year, often having to play with other partners in order to obtain points. In Brisbane, however, the Polish team took out both the 2nd and 3rd seeds, and made it to the final. That was the end of their run, however; the unseeded team of Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated them 6-3, 7-5, and won the title. This was only the second time that Kleybanova and Pavlyuchenkova had played together in doubles.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Clijsters named WTA Player of the Year
For the second time in her career, Kim Clijsters has been named WTA Player of the Year. Clijsters defended her U.S. Open title, won the WTA Champioships, and also won titles in Brisbane, Miami and Cincinnati. Clijsters was also the recipient of the Player Service Award.
Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta were named the Doubles Team of the Year. Dulko and Pennetta won seven titles together in 2010.
The remaining awards follow:
Comeback Player of the Year--Justine Henin
Newcomer of the Year--Petra Kvitova
Humanitarian of the Year--Maria Sharapova
Karen Krantzche Sports(wo)manship Award--Elena Dementieva
Once again, the players chose the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart as their favorite premier tournament. The Pattaya Open was chosen as the favorite international tournament.
Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta were named the Doubles Team of the Year. Dulko and Pennetta won seven titles together in 2010.
The remaining awards follow:
Comeback Player of the Year--Justine Henin
Newcomer of the Year--Petra Kvitova
Humanitarian of the Year--Maria Sharapova
Karen Krantzche Sports(wo)manship Award--Elena Dementieva
Once again, the players chose the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart as their favorite premier tournament. The Pattaya Open was chosen as the favorite international tournament.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Vesnina upsets Sharapova in Beijing
Maria Sharapova, the 12th seed in Beijing, was defeated 7-6, 6-2 today by countrywoman Elena Vesnina. All other seeded players survived today except for Victoria Azarenka, who retired with--here we go again--a left thigh strain.
In a match-up of two players who competed against each other in a thrilling Wimbledon quarterfinal, Petra Kvitova was again victorious over Kaia Kanepi. Kvitova won 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in a match that lasted over 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Doubles top seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta won their second round match, 6-3, 6-3, against Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.
In a match-up of two players who competed against each other in a thrilling Wimbledon quarterfinal, Petra Kvitova was again victorious over Kaia Kanepi. Kvitova won 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in a match that lasted over 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Doubles top seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta won their second round match, 6-3, 6-3, against Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Seeds upset in first round in both Slovenia and Bad Gastein
Top seed and defending champion Andrea Petkovic won her first round in Bad Gastein today, defeating Iveta Benesova 6-4, 6-0, but 3rd seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, 4th seed Klara Zakopalova, 5th seed Sybille Bammer, and 6th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova were all upset.
Yesterday, in Bad Gastein, Mariya Koryttseva saved eight match points and defeated Tatjana Malek in a match that lasted almost three hours.
In Slovenia, hometown star Katarina Srebotnik got off to a good start by defeating Petra Martic 6-3, 6-1. Top seed Jelena Jankovic defeated countrywoman Bojana Jovanovski, but 2nd seed Petra Kvitova was upset by Stepanie Voegele. Also upset in the first round were 5th seed Dominika Cibulkova and 8th seed Sophia Arvidssson. Cibulkova lost in straight sets to Ksenia Pervak.
In first round play yesterday, Virginie Razzano made her post-injury return by defeating Zuzana Kucova.
Yesterday, in Bad Gastein, Mariya Koryttseva saved eight match points and defeated Tatjana Malek in a match that lasted almost three hours.
In Slovenia, hometown star Katarina Srebotnik got off to a good start by defeating Petra Martic 6-3, 6-1. Top seed Jelena Jankovic defeated countrywoman Bojana Jovanovski, but 2nd seed Petra Kvitova was upset by Stepanie Voegele. Also upset in the first round were 5th seed Dominika Cibulkova and 8th seed Sophia Arvidssson. Cibulkova lost in straight sets to Ksenia Pervak.
In first round play yesterday, Virginie Razzano made her post-injury return by defeating Zuzana Kucova.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Zvonareva to play Williams in Wimbledon final
Contrary to rumor, Mother Russia is alive and well, in the form of Vera Zvonareva. The 21st seed advanced to the Wimbledon final today with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Tsvetana Pironkova.This is the first time that Zvonareva has reached the final of a major, and she achieves this pinnacle in her career after working hard to return from a serious injury. On two occasions, Zvonareva has sustained serious injuries while playing in Charleston (Obviously free of superstition, she continues to play at the Family Circle Cup, where she has twice been a finalist). The last one occurred in 2009, when she rolled her ankle and was out for months. To make matters worse, the ankle injury occurred just when Zvonareva was playing the best tennis of her career.
During the match, the commentators on ESPN talked repeatedly about Zvonareva's fragile mentality, but if they had known anything about her opponent, they would have realized that she is the one who suffers more with fragility of the mind. However, they know almost nothing about players who are not in the top 10 or from the U.S. Not to pick on ESPN, though--I didn't come across any commentators or writers who gave evidence of knowing about Pironkova's strengths and weaknesses. At any rate, Pironkova has a really fine game which I hope the juniors are watching so they can emulate it. But it is difficult for her to string victories together, and indeed, I found it amazing that she held herself together to get to the semifinals.
Playing with the guile she has shown throughout the tournament, the Bulgarian took the first set. In the second set, however, she became shaky. Zvonareva's form had something to do with that, I should hasten to add, but it wasn't surprising, under any circumstances, that Pironkova's level went down. After the first set, she never broke Zvonareva again, and the 21st seed became more confident as the match went on.
In the other semifinal, top seed Serena Williams faced Petra Kvitova, who put on quite a show in coming down from 0-4 in the third to defeat Kaia Kanepi in the quarterfinals. Kvitova kept up with Williams through the first set, and even pulled herself up from 0-4 to 3-4 in the tiebreak, but was unable to withstand the damage done by the Williams serve and by Williams' consistency. Kvitova is quite a shot-maker, but in this match, she made too many errors, most of which appeared to come out of sheer anxiety and rushing her shots. In fact, she controlled many of the rallies, only to make silly mistakes and lose the points.Ever the showwoman--at 2-4, 30-40--Kivotova won the point of the match, a highly entertaining affair in which both players were forced to hit far out of their comfort zones. Williams, using her serve and her experience, won the match 7-6, 6-2.
Both Pironkova and Kvitova had great runs in this tournament and provided fans with some exciting tennis--Pironkova with her very tricky style, and Kvitova with her big shot-making. Both were undone not only by their opponents, but by their own nerves.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Petra Kvitova--always down but never out--fights her way to Wimbledon semifinals
Generally speaking, when a person is under stress, she regresses to former, undesirable behaviors. Petra Kvitova, in her semifinal match against Kaia Kanepi, was under a great deal of stress, running a step--or many steps--behind her opponent throughout the match. To make things worse, Kvitova's prior behaviors included a lot of wild hitting, executed by a player who was not willing to slow down, be more precise, and ultimately turn less into more.
But that regression never occurred. Oh, perhaps on a point here and there, and there was an almost chronic serving problem--but, in general, Kvitova did not go to pieces and revert to her hit-or-miss style of play. Instead, she fought. She fought ad points, she fought match points--five of them--and she fought most fiercely when she was down 0-4 in the third set.
There was a lot of big news at Wimbledon today. Five-time champion Venus Williams went out in straight sets. Vera Zvonareva finally beat Kim Clijsters. That was the news. But the story of the day, at least for me, was that Petra Kivitova had nerves of steel almost every moment, even though, over and over, she appeared to be losing the match.
Kanepi got one break in the first set, and won it 6-4. The second set became even more competitive, with Kanepi serving well consistently and both women hitting well. There were no opportunities to break, so the set went to a tiebreak. At 6-5, Kanepi had a match point, but Kvitova saved it. Kanepi had another match point at 7-6, and a third one at 8-7, and those disappeared, too. At this point, given Kanepi's frustration, it wasn't much of a stretch to believe that Kvitova would take the set--and she did just that, winning the tiebreak 10-8.
Whatever negativity Kanepi experienced during the tiebreak, she shook it off, and immediately went up 2-0 in the third set. Then she went up 3-0, and then 4-0. The end seemed quite near, but if you looked at Kvitova's face and body language, you sensed that--for her--the end might not be so near, after all. Maybe she was thinking about the fact that qualifier Kanepi was playing the third set of her eighth match. Or maybe--after taking out Zheng Jie, Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki--Kvitova just wasn't ready to go home.
Kanepi went up 5-2, served for the match at 5-3, and faced a break point. Technically, Kvitova broke her, but the point had to be replayed. Kvitova was happy to break her again for the sake of the electronic system, and she then held at love. They kept playing, and by this time, Kanepi was making more errors and not serving really big like she had been. Nevertheless, at 5-6, Kvitova double-faulted, giving Kanepi her fourth match point. Kvitova saved that match point with a stunning second serve, but then double-faulted again, setting up Kanepi's fifth match point.
Kvitova served out wide to the ad court, saving yet another match point, then hit another really good serve to get to game point. She held, then broke Kanepi at 6-all. At this point, after almost three hours, the end really was near: Kvitova won the third set 8-6.
Kanepi's meltdown was probably more mental than it was physical; she had played a lot of tennis in a short period of time. It was also the end of a great story: A qualifier--seeking to get back to her rightful place in the rankings after suffering injuries and a loss of confidence--almost made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon. But there was more to the story than that meltdown: Kvitova put up the kind of fight that can make tennis almost indescribably exciting. There was hardly a moment when she wasn't fighting to keep up, or fighting to stay in the match. It was a really gutsy performance.
As for Kanepi, getting to the quarterfinals was quite an accomplishment, and it's nice to have her back.
But that regression never occurred. Oh, perhaps on a point here and there, and there was an almost chronic serving problem--but, in general, Kvitova did not go to pieces and revert to her hit-or-miss style of play. Instead, she fought. She fought ad points, she fought match points--five of them--and she fought most fiercely when she was down 0-4 in the third set.
There was a lot of big news at Wimbledon today. Five-time champion Venus Williams went out in straight sets. Vera Zvonareva finally beat Kim Clijsters. That was the news. But the story of the day, at least for me, was that Petra Kivitova had nerves of steel almost every moment, even though, over and over, she appeared to be losing the match.
Kanepi got one break in the first set, and won it 6-4. The second set became even more competitive, with Kanepi serving well consistently and both women hitting well. There were no opportunities to break, so the set went to a tiebreak. At 6-5, Kanepi had a match point, but Kvitova saved it. Kanepi had another match point at 7-6, and a third one at 8-7, and those disappeared, too. At this point, given Kanepi's frustration, it wasn't much of a stretch to believe that Kvitova would take the set--and she did just that, winning the tiebreak 10-8.
Whatever negativity Kanepi experienced during the tiebreak, she shook it off, and immediately went up 2-0 in the third set. Then she went up 3-0, and then 4-0. The end seemed quite near, but if you looked at Kvitova's face and body language, you sensed that--for her--the end might not be so near, after all. Maybe she was thinking about the fact that qualifier Kanepi was playing the third set of her eighth match. Or maybe--after taking out Zheng Jie, Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki--Kvitova just wasn't ready to go home.
Kanepi went up 5-2, served for the match at 5-3, and faced a break point. Technically, Kvitova broke her, but the point had to be replayed. Kvitova was happy to break her again for the sake of the electronic system, and she then held at love. They kept playing, and by this time, Kanepi was making more errors and not serving really big like she had been. Nevertheless, at 5-6, Kvitova double-faulted, giving Kanepi her fourth match point. Kvitova saved that match point with a stunning second serve, but then double-faulted again, setting up Kanepi's fifth match point.
Kvitova served out wide to the ad court, saving yet another match point, then hit another really good serve to get to game point. She held, then broke Kanepi at 6-all. At this point, after almost three hours, the end really was near: Kvitova won the third set 8-6.
Kanepi's meltdown was probably more mental than it was physical; she had played a lot of tennis in a short period of time. It was also the end of a great story: A qualifier--seeking to get back to her rightful place in the rankings after suffering injuries and a loss of confidence--almost made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon. But there was more to the story than that meltdown: Kvitova put up the kind of fight that can make tennis almost indescribably exciting. There was hardly a moment when she wasn't fighting to keep up, or fighting to stay in the match. It was a really gutsy performance.
As for Kanepi, getting to the quarterfinals was quite an accomplishment, and it's nice to have her back.
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