Not for Petra Kvitova any thoughts of easing her way into the defence of her title. Such was the speed of the reigning champion’s first-round victory over the world No.108 Kiki Bertens that the Czech could reasonably have arrived on Centre Court not in tennis kit but the garb of some modern super-heroine.
Watched by her parents Jiri and Pavla from the Royal Box, Kvitova absolutely blitzed Bertens 6-1, 6-0 in a lightning 35 minutes – the fastest victory by anyone on Tour in five years. It was a miserably frustrating experience for the Dutchwoman, whose sole point against the champion’s serve arrived when Kvitova double-faulted in the last game of the match.
Evidently, missing Eastbourne with a virus has blunted the No.2 seed’s potential not in the slightest. She has arrived at Wimbledon in full-on formidable form – and yet after this match she declared that she had been nervous before going on court. If that is true, then the thought of what she might yet achieve at times of cool self-assurance over the Fortnight ahead is mind-boggling.
“Yes, I’ll be quite happy if every time I’m nervous I play like this,” she smiled, amid laughter at her post-match press conference.
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