|
 Both women had lost their 'White Group' openers on Monday so were
desperate to pick up a much-needed win and it was the double
Wimbledon champion who made the most of her opportunities on the key
points to emerge victorious.
"We actually are good friends from the Fed Cup, so I'm really glad
the (final) is coming soon and we are going to be colleagues and not
opponents," Kvitova told reporters.
"It's tough to play her... not only because she's like a very good
player right now, in good form, but also playing a friend is a
little bit tougher with emotions and everything.
"So it's not easy to handle all this kind of stuff."
The powerful left-handers took to court in identical outfits and
were also almost impossible to separate on the scoreboard, with each
player racing through their service games in a tight first set high
on winners and low on unforced errors.
Kvitova appeared happy to keep the points short to conserve energy
as she continues her battle with mononucleosis but was jolted into
life when she gave up the first break point of the match at 5-5 in
the opener, staving off the threat with a crosscourt winner that she
greeted with a roared "Come on!".
A pair of huge serves put the double Wimbledon champion back in
front and the set appeared destined for a tiebreak when Safarova led
40-15, but the French Open finalist wobbled and Kvitova capitalised,
wrapping up the opener with a big forehand.
BEST TENNIS
Safarova shrugged off the disappointment by racing out of the blocks
in the second, breaking twice to storm 3-0 clear before the world
number five rallied behind her formidable forehand to quickly erase
the deficit.
[to top of second column] |
Kvitova had seized the momentum and was threatening to run away with
the contest when she held two break points to forge 5-3 ahead before
Safarova stood firm through a mixture of guts and guile to drag it
back to 4-4.
Both players were now playing their best tennis of the match but it
was Kvitova who broke serve again to ensure a tiebreaker would not
be needed, wrapping up victory in one hour, 49 minutes with a deep
return that Safarova could only thump into the net.
"I was just playing point-by-point and I'm glad I turned it around,"
Kvitova said of her second set rally. "It was a really difficult
match... always close at the end of the sets. So I think it was good
for both of us."
The victory improved Kvitova's head-to-head record to 8-0 over
Safarova but the pair will transform from rivals to team mates in
Prague on Nov. 14-15 when the Czech Republic take on Russia in the
Fed Cup final in search of a ninth title.
Play in the 'White Group' continues later on Wednesday when Spain's
Garbine Muguruza takes on Germany's Angelique Kerber with both
players looking to improve to 2-0 in round robin play.
(Editing by Patrick Johnston)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
