TENNIS – Petra Kvitova, 2-time and defending Wimbledon champion is making light work of the draw thus far dropping just 3 games through 2 round of play at these championships. Also showing signs of impressive play is Aga Radwanska who was equally impressive in her match. Cordell Hackshaw
USUAL SUSPECTS
Petra Kvitova (2) is looking very much on track to defend her 2014 Wimbledon title. She took on the tricky opponent Kurumi Nara 6-2 6-0. Considering that Kvitova took care of her 1st round opponent in 35 minutes, the 68 minutes that it took to take care of Nara, seemed a marathon. However, Kvitova’s numbers were just as impressive. She had 10 aces, 23 winners and 14 errors. The Nara’s game never made an impression on Kvitova. The Japanese was only limited to 3 winners for the entire match.
“I’m just glad that I won. That’s important, you know, counting is the last point. I still have a lot of space where I can improve for the next match. That’s a good sign, as well. Of course, the next match will be tough again, and tougher and tougher, if I’m going to stay in the tournament. I have to be prepared for everything,” Kvitova said after the match.
Also looking in great form is the 2012 Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska (13). Radwanska has struggled mightily this year after making the Round of 16 at the Australian Open this year and her much publicized brief spell under the tutelage of Martina Navratilova. However, last week, it seems as though the Polish player is back to good form with a run to the final in Eastbourne. In the 2nd round here at Wimbledon, Radwanska dismantled Ajla Tomljanovic 6-0 6-2 in 46 minutes. Radwanska broke Tomljanovic 6 times whereas the Australian was only able to break once. Both players had 10 winners but but it was the errors that was the deciding factor. Radwanska only committed 5 compared to the 24 from Tomljanovic.
Speaking on the matter, Radwanska had this to say of her year, “Well, I think it was maybe bad timing to hire her when I really had ‑‑ I didn’t feel good. I was a little bit exhausted. I had a couple really tough months. It was the same time she was working with me. Well, now I think, first of all, I’m just feeling much better. I think also grass changed everything, as well. Helps me go to my best level I can play tennis.”
Caroline Wozniacki (5) stumbled in her match against Denisa Allertova as she raced out to a 6-1 5-1 but could not close it out. Twice the Dane served for the match and could not get the job done as Allertova broke each time. Soon it was Wozniacki serving to stay in the set as Allertova got up 6-5. However, Wozniacki was able to push the set to a tiebreaker and take it 8-6 points; Wozniacki 6-1 7-6(6).
Angelique Kerber (10) did not have a quick match today as she did in her 1st round match but she was able to get through in straight sets over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-2. Both Madison Keys (21) and Elizaveta Kulichkova had to play yesterday in an effort to finish up their 1st round matches suspended on Day 2 because of poor lighting. Interestingly enough, they had to play each other for a place in the 3rd round. Keys got through the match in relative ease 6-4 7-6 and has definitely set herself up as a possible contender here at this event.
UPSETS
There were several minor upsets on Day 4 though they were no where as shocking as Day 2 when Simona Halep and Genie Bouchard were bounced out of the event. Most interesting of the seeded players sent home was Ekaterina Makarova (8) who has recently been playing very well at the majors. Her run of making the 2nd week of better stretching back to last year’s Wimbledon, including two consecutive semifinal appearances from the US Open last year to this year’s Australian Open, has ended abruptly. The Russian was summarily dismissed by Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2 7-5. The Slovakian had never won a match at Wimbledon in her entire career, 0-7 at the start of this tournament. Now, she is in the 3rd round and has a legitimate shot at making the 2nd week when she plays Olga Govortsova who knocked out Alizé Cornet (25) in 3 sets 7-6 2-6 6-1. Perhaps it was the pressure of getting back to the 2nd week of Wimbledon as she did last year when she knocked out Serena Williams in the 3rd round, but Cornet just never looked comfortable in this match. Elina Svitolina (17) quarterfinalist at this year’s French Open was also knocked out. She lost to Casey Dellacqua 6-7 3-6.
SURPRISES AND OTHER WINNERS
French Open semifinalist, Timea Bacsinszky (15) is riding on confidence and as she stormed her way into the 3rd round of Wimbledon over Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2 6-1. Bacsinszky who was playing qualifications last year, is looking to make some major noise here. Camila Giorgi (31) is through to the 3rd round when she also knocked out a Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena 6-0 7-6. Giorgi will take on Wozniacki for a place in the 4th round.
Sabine Lisicki (18), finalist here back in 2013, had to dig deep against her opponent, American Christina McHale. McHale took the opening set 6-2 and was on serve through to the 11th game. However, serving to stay in the set, McHale just lost her way in the match and Lisicki took full control. Lisicki broke to take the 2nd set 7-5 and dropped just a single game in the 3rd set to take the match 2-6 7-5 6-1. Lisicki will take on Bacsinszky in the 3rd round.
Jelena Jankovic (28) and Garbine Muguruza (20) needed three sets to get through to the next round. Jankovic got by Evgeniya Rodina 6-7 6-1 6-3. Muguruza had a tougher fight against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3 4-6 6-2. Svetlana Kuznetsova (26) went off the rails against Kristyna Pliskova, identical twin sister to 11th seed Karolina Pliskova. Kuznetsova took the 1st set but then began being erratic. Kristyna took advantage of this and seized control of the match taking early breaks in the next two sets. She won 3-6 6-3 6-4.
As is often the case, players who score big upsets, fail to win their next match. Jana Cepelova and Ying-Ying Duan who knocked out Halep and Bouchard respectively were both knocked out in the 2nd round. Monica Niculescu beat Cepelova 6-3 6-3 and Tatjana Maria took out Duan 1-6 6-2 10-8.
