Petra Kvitova on Tuesday continued to impress with a straight-sets victory over Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round at the Nature Valley International.
The third seed Kvitova triumphed 7-5, 6-3 and looks in impervious form ahead of her bid to win a third Wimbledon.
Kvitova’s career looked in doubt 18 months ago after a knife attack at her home, which led to surgery on her left playing hand.
Photo: AFP
“I’m pretty happy with my win today,” Kvitova said. “The whole tournament was more relaxed for me from my side. It was great that I hopefully will save some energy for the next weeks. I felt good with the body, so that’s important.”
In a tight first set, Kvitova secured the first break, but Bondarenko broke back when the Czech player was serving for the set.
However, Kvitova broke straight back and held her serve to love, clinching the first set with a delightful serve and volley.
Bondarenko went 3-1 up with a break in the second as Kivitova double-faulted, but that was to be the last game the Ukrainian won.
Kvitova sealed the match with another break when her opponent hit a forehand into the net.
Up next for Kvitova is Agnieszka Radwanska, who defeated 15th seed Daria Gavrilova 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0.
British No. 1 Johanna Konta is to face top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the third round after easing past Aleksandra Krunic 6-1, 6-3.
Konta stuttered at times and perhaps benefited from Krunic injuring herself while sliding into the net mid-rally toward the end of the first set.
The Serbian player had treatment on court and played the second set with strapping on her left leg.
Konta has not dropped a set against Wozniacki in their two previous meetings — last year’s Australian Open and the final of last year’s Miami Open.
“I’m looking forward to that,” Konta said about her upcoming match against the Australian Open champion. “I haven’t played her in quite some time and she’s obviously a Grand Slam champion this year, playing some great tennis, so I’ll look forward to that battle.”
In the day’s other matches, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the third round, when Slovakian 10th seed Magdalena Rybarikova retired after losing the first set 6-1 in 27 minutes.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus upset sixth seed Julia Goerges 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, while Danielle Collins of the US beat 16th seed Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-2, 6-4.
Collins is next to face Angelique Kerber after the German comfortably defeated Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-3.
Fifth seed Jelena Ostapenko of Estonia looked back to some of her best tennis as she dismissed Kaia Kanepi, 6-3, 7-5.
It was Ostapenko’s first match since losing in the first round of her French Open title defense.
In the men’s draw, fifth seed Leonardo Mayer beat Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in the first round.
Seventh seed Steve Johnson is also safely through to the second round after easing past Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 6-4.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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