Petra Kvitova says Angelique Kerber is still adjusting to being a Grand Slam champion, having had a similar experience when she won her first Wimbledon title.
The sixth-ranked Kvitova said she was not surprised by the top three seeds’ early exits. (No. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka is also out of the tournament after withdrawing with a back injury.) Kerber fell to Barbora Strycova, 6-4, 6-2, in the first round.
"I know how difficult women's tennis [is] right now,” said Kvitova, who was upset by Daria Gavrilova, 6-3, 6-4, in the third round. "For Angie, it's really difficult. She just won Stuttgart, and I think she would be very exhausted afterward. And Barbora, of course, is always giving [a] hard time on the court."
Kerber, who won the Australian Open, did not win a match in her two WTA tournaments following Melbourne, but has since reached two semifinals and claimed a title at Stuttgart.
Kvitova has acknowledged that it took her a while to get used to her new status upon winning her first major in 2011. The Czech, who has won two Grand Slams, said Kerber has done well considering the increased attention and pressure.
"From my side, I know how difficult it is,” she said. “Czech Republic is kind of [a] small country if I compare it to Germany. So I can't really imagine German fans … Overall, like it's not really easy that everybody is expecting that you [are] going to win everything. All of the players are just motivated to beat [the] Grand Slam champion, especially if it's this year.
"I think that Angie showed great tennis in Stuttgart last week, and I think that she's kind of taking it nicely, so far. So I hope that she will find a way to deal with all the pressure."
Kerber is currently third in the rankings. She reached a career-high No. 2 following her Grand Slam victory.