Kvitova's hot streak ended by Kontaveit

[June 02, 2018]  By Martyn Herman

PARIS (Reuters) - Petra Kvitova's hot streak on clay ended in disappointing fashion as the Czech lost 7-6(6) 7-6(4) to Anett Kontaveit in a delayed French Open third round match on Saturday.

Kvitova, one of seven women's Grand Slam champions in action on Day Seven, was edged out in a tight tussle on Court One -- snapping a 13-match winning run.

The eighth seed began in confident fashion against the Estonian she beat on the way to the Madrid title last month, but a 3-1 lead turned into a 5-3 deficit.

Kvitova recovered to take the opener into a tiebreak but Kontaveit, herself in fine form on clay, edged it 8-6.

Kontaveit rallied from 2-4 in the second set but squandered two match points when serving at 5-4 -- missing two regulation forehands -- and Kvitova dug in to level at 5-5. The 25th seed served for the match again at 6-5 but faltered once more.

Estonia's Anett Kontaveit celebrates after winning her third round match against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

She received a gift in the tiebreak though when Kvitova slammed a smash long at 3-5 and although Kontaveit double-faulted on her first match point she sealed her first career win over the twice Wimbledon champion on the next one.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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