The two-times Wimbledon champion had 28
unforced errors and five double faults but moved up a gear when
it mattered to win her first career meeting with baseline
battler Pegula.
Sixth seed Kvitova broke the world No. 63 twice in each set and
completed the win when Pegula sent a return wide.
"I'm definitely happy that I'm through the first week. Few weeks
ago I didn't have idea that really the U.S. Open will take
place. For me (it) was a miracle that it's really happening.
"I know that if I didn't come maybe one day I (was) going to
regret that I didn't come."
Pegula, who reached the last eight of the Western & Southern
Open warm-up event, matched Kvitova shot for shot from the
baseline early on, forcing the Czech left-hander to save two
breakpoints in the fifth game.
Kvitova decided to mix things up by advancing to the net more
often and after a trade of breaks she managed to take the opener
with a second break of serve.
Kvitova lost concentration at the start of the second set and as
her errors mounted she let loose several screams to get some
positive energy back into her game.
After falling behind 2-0 she won the next three games to bring
the set back on serve. Pegula held to make it 3-3 before Kvitova
went on another three-game run to finish the match.
"Second set I was down. It was really a big fight those two or
three games which I really had to fight very hard. That probably
was the turning point," Kvitova said.
"I tried to go little bit more for the volleys I would say
because she really played great from the baseline."
The U.S. Open is the only Grand Slam event where Kvitova has
failed to reach the semi-finals and next up for her will be
another American in Shelby Rogers, who earlier advanced with a
6-2 6-4 win against compatriot Madison Brengle.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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