By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, July 7, 2023
Decompressing from Grand Slam stress by watching movies, Petra Kvitova is directing a pretty powerful plot line in Wimbledon week one.
Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova powered past Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-2 into the Wimbledon third round for the ninth time.
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The ninth-seeded Kvitova warmed up for Wimbledon winning her 31st career title on the grass of Birmingham last month.
Today, Kvitova avenged a 2018 Wimbledon first-round loss to Sasnovich converting six of eight break points and more than doubling the Belarusian's winner total (25 to 11).
"Well, of course I aware of [past Wimbledon loss to Sasnovich]. But every match with her I had in my mind," Kvitova said. "I beat her in Sydney, was a big fight in Indian Wells I think last year. Well, yeah, probably knew what I should expect from her game of course.
"Not nice memories of the Centre Court against her. But I turned it around today, so I'm happy that I won basically."
It's been nine years since Kvitova captured her second Wimbledon crown in 2014. Since raising the Rosewater Dish, Kvitova has failed to reach the quarterfinals in her last seven appearances.
The 33-year-old Czech left-hander said she's put more pressure on herself at SW19.
"Other Grand Slams I am more relaxed than I am here probably. Every time I'm here, I'm trying to be relaxed as well. Not easy (smiling). I'm trying every time. I'm still getting older and older. Still with the experience I'm still trying to find it out what I can do new, what I can't. So far it's okay, so we'll see."
Still, Kvitova's six grass-court championships are most among any active woman and she's consistently declared her love of lawn tennis.
"Everybody knows that I like to play on the grass. It's my favorite surface," Kvitova said. "I love it. Doesn't matter actually where it is.
"I'm just happy to get another title this year in Berlin. I'm still happy that I'm still in the draw and playing here."
Kvitova has won seven straight grass-court matches and will try to sustain her roll in round three against Serbian qualifier Natalija Stevanovic.
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport