[ad_1]
By Chris Oddo/ Sunday, January 12, 2014
Petra Kvitova was stunned by World No. 88 Luksika Kumkhum
on Day 1, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. Sara Errani also fell.
Photo Source: AP
World No. 6 Petra Kvitova became the
highest seed to fall on Day 1 at the Australian Open as she
fell to Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand in three
sets, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. Kvitova had not lost at the first round of
a major since the 2011 U.S. Open, which immediately followed
her lone Slam title at Wimbledon that same year.
“It was great offseason,” a dejected Kvitova said. “I was
really excited to be here, feeling good. But I think that
probably I wanted too much, and then everything just fell
down.”
Daniela Hantuchova Opens Up about
Life After Tennis, Fashion and Lucky Sushi
Thailand’s No. 1 player was broken while serving for the match
at 5-3 in the third set, but she rallied to break back in the
next game.
“Yeah, just do my best,” said a giddy Kumkhum after the match.
“That’s it. Not a secret.”
After finishing Kvitova off with some dazzling, double-fisted
counterpunching, Kumkhum calmly bowed to the crowd after
shaking hands with her opponent at the net.
Kumkhum had never faced a top ten player until today, but she
was poised throughout the affair, taking the play to a tense
Kvitova in the match’s crucial moments.
The 20-year-old Chantraburi, Thailand native qualified for last
year’s Australian Open and reached the second round. Her best
career performance came when she reached the quarterfinals in
Kuala Lumpur last season.
Kvitova wasn’t the only top ten seed to fall on Monday in
Melbourne. Seventh-seeded Sara Errani was
throttled by Julia Goerges of Germany, 6-3,
6-2. The 25-year-old German struck 39 winners on the afternoon
against only six for Errani.
Other seeds to fall on Monday were 12th-seeded Roberta
Vinci, who fell to Zheng Jie, and 23rd-seeded
Elena Vesnina, who fell to American Alison
Riske.
[ad_2]
Source link