Kvitova faces tests after being scuppered by illness

Illness scuppered Petra Kvitova’s US Open bid as she was easily beaten by American Aliske Riske in the third round in New York.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Sep 2013, 10:56 BST

Former Wimbledon champion Kvitova revealed after the 6-3 6-0 defeat that she has been struggling with a virus and will have more blood tests before returning home.

The seventh seed said: “Unfortunately I was lying in bed yesterday and I had a fever, so I didn’t come to site yesterday.

“My body didn’t help me to move. I tried to play, I tried to fight, but my body wouldn’t let me fight.

“It’s unlucky at a grand slam. I will take it for this year and next year will be better.”

Kvitova suffered from a similar problem at Wimbledon this year, where she lost in the quarter-finals to Kirsten Flipkens.

Riske, who was ranked outside the top 200 in February, has had a rapid rise and second seed Victoria Azarenka, who was also involved in a major battle against France’s Alize Cornet before coming through 6-7 (2/7) 6-3 6-2.