Second-seeded defending champion Petra Kvitova rallied to beat Madison Keys 4-6 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of singles, while Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung and Chen Liang of China defeated Eva Hrdinova and Nicole Melichar 1-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the doubles quarter-finals on Wednesday night at the Connecticut Open.
“The conditions [without the humidity] were perfect for me, for sure,” said Kvitova, who revealed several weeks ago that she has mononucleosis. “I felt good and I didn’t really have any troubles.”
The Czech player also won the event in 2012.
Photo: AFP
“I didn’t really think I was in any trouble out there,” Kvitova said. “My only loss came on my serve in the first set, otherwise I thought I was kind of OK from my side.”
Kvitova bounced back with a strong second set, but was tested early in the third by Keys. Kvitova broke the Americans’ serve to take a 3-2 lead, then overcame a 40-0 deficit to take the next game.
“She completely raised her level,” Keys said. “I had a couple chances here and there. I mean she played really well. It’s tough when you have your break point and stuff like that, but she’s hitting great shots and she’s putting all the pressure on me.”
Kvitova faces seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the quarter-finals. Radwanska beat France’s Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-2.
“I’m just very happy to finish the match in two sets,” Radwanska said. “She’s a great fighter, so I knew it was going to be a long match. She can really play everything and you can expect everything from her side.”
Fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic topped Ukraine’s Olga Savchuk 6-4, 6-1 in 52 minutes to set up a match against lucky-loser Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine. Tsurenko got into the field on Sunday after top-seeded Simona Halep pulled out because of an injury.
With fourth-seeded Lucile Safarova advancing on Tuesday, the Czech Republic has three players in the quarter-finals. Safarova is to play Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova.
Third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark outlasted Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (9/7) to advance in a tournament she has won four times (2008-2011).
“She made it tricky out there with her slice and her flat forehand and mixing up the serve and stuff,” Wozniacki said. “The good thing is I am through and I get another chance tomorrow.”
Wozniacki saved three match points in the final-set tiebreaker and came back from a 7-6 hole to win.
In addition to making early exits in her past three tournaments, Wozniacki came into the event battling calf and lower back issues. She is to play France’s Caroline Garcia next.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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