By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Petra Kvitova fought off cramps and world No. 1 Angelique Kerber converting her seventh match point for a 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-4 Wuhan win in three hours, 20 minutes.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko
Hunching over behind the baseline as cramps gnawed her right leg, a pained Petra Kvitova looked like a woman on the verge of completing a marathon only to find the finish line extended even further.
A gritty Kvitova exhaled then got right back to work with a determined finishing kick.
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In a grueling clash of Grand Slam champions, Kvitova converted her seventh match point subduing world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, 6-7 (10), 7-5, 6-4 in an epic three hour, 20-minute marathon.
This was a fierce fight in which both women battled with vigor from first ball to last.
Riding an eight-match winning streak and a 6-0 record against fellow left-handers this season, the US Open champion endured her first loss since falling to Kvitova's Czech Fed Cup teammate, Karolina Pliskova, in the Cincinnati final last month.
There was no surrender from Kerber, who clawed back from a break down to win the first set and kept fighting.
Kvitova competed with guts and determination conquering cramps and Kerber to prevail in what she called her best performance of the season.
"I'm really happy," Kvitova said afterward. "This match was really unbelievable and a great fight. Angie is a great fighter. It was a great battle. I don't think I played as well as I did today."
Kvitova raised her career record against top-ranked players to 4-4 beating a reigning world No. 1 for the first time since she snapped Serena Williams' 27-match winning streak in the 2015 Madrid semifinals.
The victory sent the 2014 Wuhan champion into a quarterfinal match with Johanna Konta. The 11th-seeded Briton beat seventh-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, 7-5, 7-6 (6).
The 13th-ranked Konta has split two meetings with Kvitova, beating the left-hander in three sets on the grass of Eastbourne in June after Kvitova prevailed at the 2015 US Open.
Kerber dispatched Kvitova, 6-3, 7-5, in the US Open round of 16 earlier this month—her fifth win in nine meetings with the two-time Wimbledon winner.
The rematch pitted Kvitova's power and all-court aggression against Kerber's unyielding defense and counter-strike skill. Kvitova more than doubled Kerber's winner total (54 to 22), but the sturdy German committed 30 fewer unforced errors (31 to 61).
Kvitova broke Kerber in her first three service games for a 4-2 lead only to see Kerber break back in the seventh game then hold for the first time to level at 4-all.
Tension escalated in the tie break. Staring down a 1-4 deficit, Kerber answered with a four-point run. Kvitova saved a set point with a forehand swing volley for 6-all before Kerber erased a second set point with a slap shot return.
The Czech's forehand down the line was a weapon throughout; she used that strike to saved a second set point for 8-8. Kerber staved off a fourth set point with a bold and brilliant forehand return down the line.
On her third set point, Kerber wrapped up the sweaty 84-minute opener on Kvitova's second straight forehand error.
After a well-deserved break from both women, Kvitova broke for a 3-2 second-set lead.
Serving for the second set at 5-4, Kvitova was two points from leveling at 30-all but sprayed successive shots as Kerber broke back.
Shaking off that stumble, Kvitova earned her sixth service break of the match and stepped up to serve for the set again.
On her third set point, Kvitova whipped a crosscourt forehand drawing an errant forehand down the line to snatch the second set after two hours, 21 minutes of often physical play.
Empowered, Kvitova crushed a return winner breaking at love to open the decider.
The 14th seed saved a break point in the sixth game. Kvitova lasered a forehand winner down the line then hooked her fourth ace out wide holding for 4-2.
The world No. 1 wasn't done. Kerber saved a pair of break points holding then earned a break point to level.
A defiant Kvitova dug in and saved seven break points, including stretching for a sensational stab volley winner to deny the seventh break point. Kvitova, who was 15 of 21 at net, jabbed a forehand into corner navigating a 14-minute game hold for 5-3 after three hours, five minutes of play.
Closure was complicated. Kerber saved a match point holding for 4-5. Serving for the match, Kvitova opened a 40-love lead only to see her stubborn opponent save three more match points.
Leaning over, Kvitova felt the cramps stabbing her right leg and armed a double fault to face break point. At that point, just completing the game looked questionable. Kvitova saved the break point then bashed a backhand down the line for a fifth match point only to commit her 11th double fault.
Driving a forehand down the line, Kvitova earned a seventh match point. She curled a slice serve into the corner and finished with another forehand down the line.
Smiling in relief, Kvitova was too exhausted for an extensive celebration. She kissed Kerber on both cheeks, tried to toss her towel into the appreciative crowd, but it landed short settling among the court-side flowers.
"It was an incredible match," Kvitova said. "I had a chance to win the first set. I don't know how I made it, but I'm very glad I did. I really had the cramps in the last game. A great win for me to beat Angie. I lost to her the last few times For me, it's an amazing match."