By Chris Oddo | Friday, June 27, 2014
Petra Kvitova battled past Venus Williams, earning an inspired, high-quality 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-5 victory on Centre Court on Day 5.
Photo Source: Kieran Galvin/CameraSport
Two former Wimbledon champions, battling tooth and nail for a spot in Wimbledon’s second week in front of a riveted Centre Court crowd. What could be better?
More: Li Na Stunned by Zahlavova Strycova on Day 5
As the saying goes, it was a shame that there had to be a loser, but most agree that women’s tennis was the real winner on Day 5, as Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams each took part in a serving display for the ages, surrendering a cumulative total of three break point attempts and two breaks of serve over the course of three extremely intense sets.
In the end, it was Kvitova who was able to see her way through with a break in the ultimate game, clinching the 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-5 decision that puts the 2011 champion into the second week at Wimbledon for the fifth consecutive year.
“I’m just happy that I’m through and into the fourth round,” Kvitova said. “When I lost the first set I was really sad and down a little bit mentally, but I knew that I can come back and win the second set, and of course in the third set everything can happen.”
After Williams broke Kvitova to claim the first set, the two heavyweights ramped up their serving. Neither player earned a break opportunity in the second set, which Kvitova won in the tiebreaker, and the same trend continued in the decider.
After a tense and high-quality decider, Kvitova pounced in the final game when the opportunity presented itself, claiming her only break of the match to book a spot in the round of 16, where she’ll face Shuai Peng of China.
“Finally, I did it,” she said.
Kvitova improves her career record at Wimbledon to 22-5 with the victory, and has now taken three straight matches from Venus Williams, all in three sets.
The 24-year-old Czech is now the highest seed remaining in her quarter of the draw after second-seeded Li Na fell to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova earlier on Day 5.
Williams, who turned 34 this month, has not been past the round of 32 at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon, 2011. Though many tend to prematurely talk of the seven-time Grand Slam champion's impending retirement, Williams will have none of it. "People want to get me out of here," Williams said to reporters after the match. "I'm not getting out of here."
On social media the match was given high praise from fans and pundits, who were blown away with the quality of serving and ground strokes from Williams and Kvitova.
Here’s a sample of what they were saying:
To give an idea of the incredible force of the ball-striking from both:
It really did feel like a men’s match the way the service games were so tidy.
Indeed. Sad it had to be so early in the draw, as Venus was in good enough form to make a deep run.
To give an idea of the incredible force of the ball-striking from both: