If Petra Kvitova’s design, in coming from the Olympics and playing Montreal, Cincinnati, and New Haven back-to-back-to-back, was to ensure that she didn’t repeat last year’s embarrassing first-round exit from the U.S. Open, then she can count that as a mission accomplished. The world No. 5 is now in the third round after a grim, enervating 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alize Cornet of France.
On the other hand, going deep at the aforementioned tournaments—title in Montreal, semis in Cincinnati, and the title in New Haven—may have made her name more widely mooted as that of a possible trophy contender, but it doesn’t seem to have delivered her to New York in corresponding form. Kvitova was tentative and erratic throughout the match and might well have been in trouble if her opponent had showed a touch more resolution when holding a lead.
Cornet, who once hovered just outside the Top 10, saw her ranking plummet during the past couple of years but has shown signs of resurgence lately, taking a title in Bad Gastein over the summer. She started off the match well, hamstrung by serving below 50 percent but doing an excellent job of mixing up her shots and keeping Kvitova off-balance, particularly with regards to short slices, which pulled the tall Czech forward off the baseline but stayed low. It had Kvitova out of sorts and trying anything to end the points quickly because she didn’t have the confidence to stay in them, knowing she would be missing. At 3-3, this cocktail of desperation and uncertainty took its toll, and Kvitova was broken to 15. With her mid-court slice wreaking havoc, Cornet had a chance to take a potentially decisive lead and was on the verge of doing so, leading 40-30 when she stopped to challenge her first serve (called out). The challenge was not only fruitless, it broke up any rhythm she had on serve, and two double faults and a volley from Kvitova which grazed the back of the baseline saw her quickly broken back.
On her next service game, Cornet’s first serve deserted her completely, allowing Kvitova to dominate behind the return. The Czech hit with enough solidity to get the break and the first set, 6-4. Kvitova appeared to decide that if Cornet’s shorter balls were going to keep pulling her forward, she would cut out the middleman by charging the net herself. Although her volleys were largely tentative and she kept leaving herself open for passing shots, Cornet could not take advantage, and Kvitova quickly broke to lead 2-0.
Cornet, who is a counterpuncher, struggled with her lack of a finishing shot even when she did manage to dominate the rallies, and despite some poor, tired-looking backhands, Kvitova battled to victory with dogged hitting. She will have to find some energy and inspiration from somewhere if she is to be the first WTA player since 2009 to reach at least the quarterfinals of all four Slams in the same year.
—Hannah Wilks
