Chance of second successive semi-final briefly gives Kvitova the jitters

The Czech eighth seed coasted through the opening set and looked a major contender for the title as she overpowered Tsvetana Pironkova, Venus Williams’s fourth-round conqueror. But composure deserted her throughout the second set, especially in the latter stages of the tie-break, only to return in the decider as she prevailed 6-3 6-7 (7/5) 6-2.

Kvitova, pictured above, who had registered only straight sets victories until yesterday admitted the prospect of an immediate return to the last four at the All England Club had weighed heavily on her mind.

“I started very well. At the beginning I was better and I played so well like in previous matches,” said the 21-year-old.

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“But then I got a little nervous and in my mind there was something, I don’t know what it was. I was mentally down.

“I became nervous because I knew that I could be in the semi-finals again and that was in my head.

“It wasn’t good for me and I made some easy mistakes. So I was so happy that I won the first game in the third set, that I broke her. Then it was better.”

Kvitova lost to Serena Williams in the semi-finals last year in what proved to be a bitter-sweet experience.

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“I was very happy to get that far and it taught me I could beat top players and play on grass,” she said.

“But after that I lost five first-round matches in a row, so it was very tough to get back and be on the court and focus. It was a bad experience, but I’m happy that I had it.”

Kvitova had taping across the inside of her right thigh and the Fulnek resident revealed it is for an abductor injury that is being managed.

“I’m happy that it felt better today. I had some pills for the pain, so I didn’t feel anything,” she said.

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