Kvitova takes emotional bow as fairy-tale return ends in battling defeat
Mattek-sands’ image boosted in stirring tussle British hopes suffer again as Bedene exits
Petra Kvitova’s fairy-tale return to tennis came to an end yesterday at the hands of Bethanie Matteksands, the American player whose name was leaked last year as a repeat user of Therapeutic Use Exemptions.
If the emotional support from Kvitova in the locker room is universal, then Mattek-sands’s reputation has been affected by her refusal to discuss her medical records and the use of TUES, which entered the public domain via the Russian hacker group Fancy Bears.
Still, morality has no bearing on matchplay. And when it came to the punch yesterday, it was Matteksands – appearing in her ninth tournament of the year – who proved to be the more battle-hardened player. “I have to say I’m kind of surprised how I played, even [though] I lost,” said Kvitova after suffering a 7-6, 7-6 defeat. “I think it was a good fight, and I think in the tie-break I showed that I don’t really have matches under my belt.”
The match had a curious symmetry. In each of those tie-breaks, Kvitova crossed with a 4-2 advantage, and then delivered a double-fault to surrender her mini-break. Finding herself match-point down, she double-faulted again, and bounced her racket hard on the clay.
“My father didn’t like it that I throw my racket,” said Kvitova, who spent five months off the tour after suffering a badly slashed hand in an attempted burglary at her home in December. “I still do have the motivation inside, which is good. And throwing the racket shows that I’m a bit angry, as well.
“I’m disappointed, for sure. I came here to win the matches. Now, in forthcoming weeks, I think it will be business as usual. That’s what I’m looking forward to, just focusing on the tennis.”
The emotions on Court 1 – the circular arena known as the Bullring – were running strong throughout the match. Kvitova had her cheer squad in tow, all dressed in the black T-shirts bearing the legend “Courage. Belief. Pond.”
But Mattek-sands was also roared on by a vocal player box. During the tie-breaks, as the tension ratcheted, the backroom teams were jumping up in turn and leading the cheers. It felt like West Side Story, with the two gangs whipping
up the crowd. Although you might have expected Kvitova to be the neutral favourite, Mattek-sands also won plenty of support through her bold strategy, which involved cracking her returns of serve and charging in to the net behind them.
“The atmosphere on Court 1 was incredible today,” said Kvitova, “even for Beth. It was really amazing.”
Meanwhile, British representation at the French Open shrank to just two players after Aljaz Bedene was eliminated by Jiri Vesely following a lengthy tussle, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Bedene had a chance to break back in the final game but whacked an overhead into the net on the critical point. “I played the wrong tactic, played too much to his backhand, which is his best shot,” said Bedene.
Bedene was also asked to clarify his position on a possible return to the Slovenian flag – a course of action he had hinted at on Monday, when he suggested that he was looking for a way of becoming eligible to play in the Olympic Games. Unsurprisingly, he made an effort to backtrack.
“When I said my dream was to play Olympic Games, I meant contacting Stephen Farrow [the Lawn Tennis Association’s head of legal affairs],” said Bedene. “When I read those things online [that he might switch back to the country of his birth], it was awkward. But I’ve been fighting for so long to get a chance to play the Davis Cup and Olympic Games for GB, and I’m still hoping.”
So did that mean that he would rule Slovenia out completely? “I haven’t considered that at all. My first priority at the moment is to keep fighting and see what happens.”
In other news, Serena Williams was seen at courtside, talking animatedly with her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, while supporting her sister Venus throughout a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Kurumi Nara. Mouratoglou has said this week that he will not take on another client before Williams is ready to return to the tour next year.