Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova suffered a surprising first-round exit as she lost 6-4 4-6 6-0 to Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
The Czech, 28, was the favourite to win the tournament due to her superb form in 2018. She won five titles in the first six months of the year, including one on the grass courts in Birmingham.
However, she failed to produce her best tennis on Court One today and Sasnovich took full advantage.
The Belarussian, 24, came up with arguably the best display of her career to earn her first win over a top ten player.
It looked it might be a frustrating day for the underdog when Kvitova saved break points in games three and five to keep the set on serve at 3-2.
But Sasnovich was not deterred. She played gutsy tennis to save three break points and hold in game six. Then she got the better of the World No.8 in an equally lengthy game on Kvitova’s serve to go up a break.
It had taken the Belarussian eight break points to achieve her goal, but she wasted no time consolidating it with a comfortable hold to lead 5-3.
Kvitova responded by holding to love and forcing two break points on Sasnovich’s serve, but the World No.50 held firm to secure the opening set.
Kvitova improves to level the match
The Czech seemed to struggle with some kind of physical issue during the first set as she could be seen bending over with a pained expression on her face.
However, she settled in the second set and produced the kind of tennis we are accustomed to seeing from her: big serves, powerful groundstrokes and aggressive point construction.
Kvitova’s improvement enabled her to break early and ease into a relatively comfortable 5-3 lead. She then suffered a dip to drop serve in game nine, before recovering to break for the set in game ten.
Sasnovich shines in deciding set
Considering how close the previous two sets had been, the decider was extraordinary.
Sasnovich produced a series of remarkable winners from the baseline to break Kvitova twice in the opening three games.
At this stage, the two-time champion looked thoroughly lost. She somehow managed to earn a break point in game four but could not take it and found herself staring at almost-certain defeat at 0-4.
The end came quickly for the Czech. Sasnovich broke to love and then held serve with ease to clinch a landmark win in her career.
