Kvitova powers past Wozniacki

Petra Kvitova scored her second top 10 win of the season, demolishing world No.6 Caroline Wozniacki in the China Open third round.

The No.18-ranked Czech was at her powerful best, winning 73 per cent of points on serve in a 6-1 6-4 victory.

“It was a pretty good match from my side. I didn’t really make any easy mistakes or unforced errors or whatever,” Kvitova said. “My serve helped me a lot, as well. It was improving all the match. Especially from the second set, I really attacked her.”

Wozniacki could only praise her opponent.

“She’s one of those players that when she’s on fire, she is on fire,” Wozniacki said.

“I had a couple of break chances and she would serve aces every time. At that point, you have to say ‘that’s too good today’. I got myself in a couple of positions where I thought that maybe I could grab onto something and on another day the serves might have been a bit out instead of on the line, but today she was playing really well.”

The No.5 seed admitted she had no answers as Kvitova fired 38 winners in the match.

“The only thing I could really have done is put more first serves in that first set. Other than that I tried my best,” she said. “I started mixing up the serves and stressing a little less on my serve on the second set. I got a little bit closer, but I never felt like I was close to winning it.”

Kvitova now plays countrywoman Barbora Strycova in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.

“It’s always extra motivation to play some of the Czech girls. But on the other hand we are pretty good friends. We are playing Fed Cup. We won many times already. We have a good friendship,” Kvitova said.

“It will be difficult tomorrow, for sure.”