The Wozniacki-Kvitova Rivalry Could Define 2012
By James Waterson
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Photo Credit: Tony Ashby/AFP/Getty Images
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There was no messing around when Wozniacki and Kvitova, the World No. 1 and 2, faced off in Perth. The match had the intensity of a Grand Slam final, which was unusual for a pre-Australian Open warm-up event, which was great to watch but kept me glued to my computer until the early hours of the morning.
As I watched the match, it struck me that I was witnessing what could become the defining rivalry of 2012.
On one end, you have Wozniacki, the much-maligned 21-year-old counter puncher who has yet to win a Grand Slam title. The Dane has been criticized for playing too passively against the best players at the major tournaments, but if her match against Kvitova in Perth is any indication she's made some changes to her game.
On the other side, Kvitova is a pseudo Lindsay Davenport with a big lefty serve and great touch around the net. Kvitova had her big breakthrough at Wimbledon when she beat Maria Sharapova in the final and she went undefeated at the WTA year-end championships in Istanbul.
Both players had something to prove (to themselves and to each other) on Friday, and by the end of the match a few things had become obvious.
Wozniacki Has Made Some Adjustments
Kvitova is known as one of the best servers on the WTA Tour. She is especially good at using her slice serve on the ad side to take early control of a point, which she can then dominate with her flat ground strokes.
The ideal situation for the Czech is to have her opponent hit neutral returns, similar to the how Wozniacki played in her 6-4, 6-2 loss to Kvitova in Istanbul.
But on Friday, Wozniacki stepped into the court to attack Kvitova’s serves which resulted in dramatically improving her chances to win the point once the ball was in play. It wasn’t unusual to see the World No. 2 scramble to catch up with the Dane’s return. The end result was she won 47 percent of her returning points and she broke Kvitova six times.
Additionally, the World No. 1 seemed more willing to go for her shots than in the past. This is especially critical when she is playing Kvitova because the tall Czech hits her best when her feet are set. If Wozniacki is hitting aggressively and moving her opponent around the court, she is far more likely to draw unforced errors.
That’s certainly not a guaranteed thing, as Kvitova is more than capable of pulling off stunning winners from seemingly awkward positions. But as the percentage player in this match-up, it’s key that Wozniacki continues to attack in this way.
Especially since she will never beat the best players at the major tournaments if she is relying on her retrieving skills. Grand Slam winners take control of the match, which (for now) is outside of her comfort zone.
Kvitova Manages Her Streakiness Well
Because Kvitova plays a relatively high-risk game, it’s not surprising to see her game go off the rails on occasion. But the difference between a dangerous player who, on her day, can beat the best players and one who stays at the top of the rankings is how she emotionally manages her periods of poor play.
For example, the second set. Kvitova put together some stunning tennis to go up 3-0 only to hit an inconsistent patch, which enabled Wozniacki to run off the next six games.
It was obvious Kvitova was frustrated, but instead of getting down on herself she responded by breaking Wozniacki in the first game of the third set.
She would extend her lead further with another break only to lose the additional advantage because of some strong play from Wozniacki.
Serving at 5-4 in the third, Kvitova certainly had plenty of chances to panic. It could have been a repeat of the first set when she was serving at 5-4 40-love before she was broken. But instead, she held her nerve and closed out the match with ease.
There’s no doubt that Kvitova has plenty of qualities to be impressed by. But the one I find most impressive is her ability to ignore her mistakes or missed opportunities and continue playing her game.
The Battle For No. 1 Will Be Fun To Watch
Kvitova is only 115 points behind Wozniacki in the rankings, and it’s possible she could take the top spot before the Australian Open begins.
With any luck, the race will remain close throughout the season. There’s no reason to think it won’t, as Kvitova is susceptible to losing early in tournaments while Wozniacki is a bit more consistent.
Ultimately, I think Kvitova’s power and her ability to play in all areas of the court will make the difference in the long run.
Then again, there are plenty of other players who are capable of disrupting this rivalry. Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are all more than capable of taking the top two spots from Wozniacki and Kvitova, but there are plenty of doubts about their ability to play a full schedule.
Either way, 2012 should be a great year for women’s tennis.