Kvitova Exits Early at Indian Wells
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Synopsis
In a surprising turn of events, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was ousted in the first round of the WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, succumbing to Varvara Gracheva. The match ended 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, marking another setback for Kvitova in her return to professional tennis after maternity leave.
Key Takeaways
- Petra Kvitova lost to Varvara Gracheva in first round.
- Match lasted two hours and 22 minutes.
- Kvitova is still seeking her first victory post-maternity.
- Gracheva will face Mirra Andreeva next.
- Other notable matches included Caroline Garcia and Lulu Sun.
Indian Wells, March 6 (NationPress) Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, faced elimination at the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells on Thursday (IST), falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to France's Varvara Gracheva in the opening round.
World No. 70 Gracheva secured 68 percent of points on her first serve and 56 percent on her second, clinching the match in a duration of two hours and 22 minutes against the 34-year-old Czech player.
Kvitova, who welcomed her son Petr last July, made her comeback from an 18-month maternity leave last week in Austin, where she was defeated 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 by Jodie Burrage in the first round.
Despite her illustrious career, having won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, Kvitova is still in search of her first win since her return from maternity leave.
Gracheva expressed her admiration in an on-court interview, stating, "I really want to congratulate her. She had a child quite recently and I'm so happy that she now has the role of a mother and a tennis player, which is very demanding. It's very inspiring for sports, athletes, women - it's just amazing. Petra, my admiration to you. You're the best."
During the match, Kvitova struggled to find her rhythm against her Russian-born opponent, making a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors, including eight double faults, according to reports from Xinhua.
Gracheva will advance to face Russian ninth seed Mirra Andreeva in the next round, where a spot in the last 32 will be contested. Andreeva, 17, made headlines last month by defeating three Grand Slam champions en route to becoming the youngest-ever WTA 1000 champion in Dubai.
In other matches on Day 1, France’s Caroline Garcia triumphed over American Bernarda Pera with a score of 6-3, 6-4, while New Zealand’s Lulu Sun overcame Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(2).
Additionally, Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto advanced when Mexico’s Renata Zarazua had to retire, trailing 6-4, 1-0.
