If you want to know how difficult it is to return to top-level tennis after six months away, just ask Petra Kvitova. The Czech, 30, was dumped out of the Western and Southern Open by younger compatriot Marie Bouzkova, who recorded a 2-6 7-5 6-2 victory.
“Petra is such a great player,” the young Czech said in her on-court interview. “Being from the Czech Republic like me, she’s an idol. I watched her so many times in Fed Cup when I was small so to get the win (against her) is amazing.”
Bouzkova also spoke about the heat, which seemed to affect Kvitova. She said, “Luckily I had a chance to practise in Florida over the last few months. It’s even hotter out there so I’m used to the heat. As the match went on, I felt better and better and I knew that Petra was struggling so I just tried to stay there.”
It is a loss that will be hard to take for the two-time Grand Slam champion. She started the match in great style as she served well and hit winners to take the first set 6-2.
Then the World No.12 began to struggle. She dropped her serve to love in the first game of the second set and continued to falter during her service games. For most of the set, she clung on. But she was eventually broken by Bouzkova in the 11th game. Then the World No.48 held her nerve to claim the set 7-5 and level the match.
Bouzkova presses advantage against weary Kvitova
After that gruelling 64-minute set, Kvitova looked very tired. She battled to 2-2 in the decider. Then she withered as Bouzkova attacked in the fifth game and eventually broke her.
The younger Czech, 22, broke again in game seven to give herself a chance to serve for the match at 5-2. However, she made a couple of errors at 40-15 to allow Kvitova into the game. Then the World No.12 dug deep to hit a couple of winners and save more match points.
Fortunately for Bouzkova, Kvitova narrowly missed with a forehand on break point. Then the World No.48 powered down an ace to earn her fifth match point. And this time she seized it with a good serve which was miscued long by the older Czech player.
It is a victory that shines a spotlight on Bouzkova’s potential. She shot up the rankings from 130 to 57 last year. Then she reached her first WTA final in Monterrey in March 2020. The young Czech has also beaten World No.15 Johanna Konta in straight sets twice this year, which is not easy to do.
In the immediate future, Bouzkova can look forward to a last-16 clash against either Anett Kontaveit or her doubles partner Jill Teichmann. If, as expected, the Czech faces the in-form Estonian, she may have to play even better than she did against Pliskova to win.
Konta breezes past Flipkens
Elsewhere in New York, Johanna Konta thumped Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 6-0 to record a victory that was every bit as convincing as that score makes it sound.
The Brit, 29, completely dominated the Belgian from start to finish and she can now confidently look ahead to the rest of the tournament. Her next opponent will be another veteran, Vera Zvonareva, after the Russian thrashed Laura Siegemund 6-1 6-1.
It was not such a happy day for World No.27 Amanda Anisimova. She suffered a disappointing 7-5 6-2 loss to World No.83 Jessica Pegula. And the World No.28, Ekaterina Alexandrova, also departed. She was defeated 6-1 7-6(8) by experienced American Christina McHale.
