Petra Kvitova stunned by Ekaterina Makarova in the opening round – AEGON International 2012
World number four, Petra Kvitova, was off to a dismal start to the WTA’s grass court swing, suffering a cracking straight sets defeat in the opening round of the AEGON International on Tuesday. The hot favourite Czech contender
was stunned by the brilliance of the 48th ranked Russian, Ekaterina Makarova, with the final score line of 7-5, 6-4, against her.
Winner of the last year’s Wimbledon Championships, Kvitova was anticipated to have a flying start to the grass court season from Eastbourne, United Kingdom but she couldn’t deliver her best in the very first match of the tournament
to crash out. The Czech number one had already defeated Makarova on the very same venue last year but it was the payback time for the Russian, who now ties 1-1 in the head-to-head series against Kvitova.
The left-handed Czech power house didn’t appear in the best of her form in the Tuesday’s matchup and kept spilling costly faults all over the court throughout the battle. She coughed six double faults on the most crucial moments
of the match and it proved extremely taxing for her in the end. Kvitova registered three out of eight break points in the contest but was replied with five out of 10 cracking ones from the 24-year-old Russian. Makarova remained calm in both sets and kept cruising
to victory with limited resistance her fourth ranked opponent, eventually earning a place in the second round of the tournament.
"There wasn't any secret. I just had nothing to lose, so I tried to play my best game," Makarova commented on her thumping victory. "Petra is really tough and plays unbelievable on grass, so I wanted to show my best tennis and
enjoy it. It helped today."
"Ekaterina was a tough opponent for me for the first round. She has won here in the past and I know she can play well on grass," expressed Kvitova after her dismal performance. "But I didn't play well either. It was my first match
on grass this year and I didn't expect too much. Every shot I played today could have been better. I have to improve."
Makarova will face the local qualifier, Laura Robson, in her next encounter to fight for a place in the quarter-finals of the AEGON International later this week. Robson was successful against the unseeded Spanish contender, Maria
Jose Martinez Sanchez, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, in the opening round earlier on Tuesday.
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