Petra Kvitova edged past Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 4-6 6-1 in two hours on a windy day in the Qatar Total Open in Doha. The Czech player advanced to the quarter finals for the fifth time in her six appearances at the Doha tournament.
Kvitova and Ostapenko were level at 3-3 in their six head-to-head matches. Ostapenko beat her Czech rival in their most recent clash in Miami 2018.
Ostapenko earned a break point after two double faults at the start of the opening set and converted her chance as Kvitova silced wide.
Kvitova broke back in the fourth game and held serve to take a 3-2 lead. The Czech player broke for the second time on the fifth deuce in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead after two double faults from Ostapenko. Kvitova won her fourth consecutive game from 2-2 with a break at love to win the first set 6-2.
Ostapenko saved three consecutive points from 0-40 down to hold her serve in the second game. A series of four consecutive games followed in the next games. Ostapenko broke in the ninth game for 5-4 earning a chance to serve for the set, but Kvitova broke straight back to draw level to 5-5. Ostapenko broke at love in the 11th game before closing out the second set 6-4 to force the match to the third set.
Kvitova raced out to a 4-0 lead, as she dropped four points. She saved a break point to hold serve in the fifth game at deuce. The former Wimbledon champion sealed in her next service game to set up a second round match against either Karolina Pliskova or ons Jabeur.
