Kvitova rolls into round 3 at US Open
NEW YORK, NY, USA - No.13 seed Petra Kvitova wasted little time in reaching the third round of the US Open, needing just 59 minutes to see off Alizé Cornet 6-1, 6-2.
“I don’t have any expectations here in the US Open or in the American hard court season,” Kvitova said afterwards. “I’m just taking every match one day at a time.
“I’m glad I do have another opportunity to play here, but I’m not setting any goals for myself.”
The Frenchwoman was surely feeling a sense of déjà vu about the matchup; the pair’s only previous meeting also saw Kvitova come out on top in straight sets in the second round of the 2012 US Open.
Read more: Battle for No.1 Update: From eight to seven
The former quarterfinalist took down Jelena Jankovic in a tough straight-sets battle on opening day, and she came out battle ready against the No.46-ranked Cornet. Kvitova’s typically aggressive start was rewarded with the first break early on, setting the tone for the one-sided affair.
The Czech rolled through her service games, losing just two points on her serve in the entire first set - and powering through the last two service games winning both to love.
Cornet couldn’t find her timing against Kvitova’s hard and flat style, and didn’t have the answers as she found her serve under siege from the start, holding just once in each set.
After dropping the first set 6-1 and finding herself down 5-1 in the second, Cornet picked a good time to get her first break of the match. She saved a match point and broke the Czech’s powerful serve to extend her stay in the year’s last Grand Slam. But it was short-lived as Kvitova slammed the door shut in the next game with a commanding break to love.
“I think this match is the best that I’ve felt on the hardcourts so far, it was a good match from my side,” Kvitova told WTA Insider after the match.
“I tried to be aggressive the whole match and I was attacking on the return, I served really well - except for my last service game there - but overall it was a good match from my side.”
Up next, the two-time Wimbledon champion will take on the winner between No.18 seed Caroline Garcia and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
