Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and reigning champion Garbine Muguruza got their grass-court seasons off to impressive starts at the Birmingham Classic on Tuesday.
The Czech, playing for the first time since her third-round exit at the French Open, opened her title defence with a 6-3 6-4 win over Britain’s Johanna Konta.
Konta had reached the final in Nottingham on Sunday, but the match time she had gained on grass was not enough to take her past Kvitova, who has already won four titles in 2018.
REPORT: Federer through, Zverev beaten in Halle
“I’m here just to play, which is the best, really,” Kvitova told wtatour.com.
“I don’t feel any pressure. Playing [Konta] in the first round, you probably should feel some pressure, but I’m really here just to play and enjoy myself on the grass.”
Kvitova, seeded fourth, will play Australia’s Daria Gavrilova in the second round.
.@Vika7 gets the win over Voegele 6-7(4), 6-3, 7-5!
Through to @MallorcaOpen second round! pic.twitter.com/G58iC6ZiI5
— WTA (@WTA) June 19, 2018
Top seed Muguruza needed just an hour to sweep past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 6-2.
On a good day for the leading names, second seed Elina Svitolina came through a tricky opening contest against Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-1 3-6 6-1, fifth seed Julia Goerges beat Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4 6-4, and sixth seed Daria Kasatkina defeated Kristyna Pliskova 3-6 7-5 6-4.
At the Mallorca Open, former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka came through 6-7(4) 6-3 7-5 after two hours and 20 minutes against Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele.
The Belarusian was playing just her 13th match since Wimbledon last year because of a protracted custody battle that left her unable to take her son out of California.
“These types of matches are going to happen, and especially for me to get into my rhythm after not playing for so long,” said Azarenka.
“Definitely there’s lots to improve: you know, little things. But the fighting was the key today for sure.”
No.1 seed Caroline Garcia saw off Su-Wei Hsieh 7-6(4) 1-6 6-4 and third seed Anastasia Sevastova beat wildcard Svetlana Kunetsova 6-3 6-3.
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