The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Defending champ Kvitova closing in on a three-peat
Czech star advances to semifinals
NEW HAVEN >> It’s no secret that the Czech’s Republic’s Petra Kvitova feels comfortable in New Haven. It’s becoming her adopted home. Now, she’s two wins away from being part of some Elm City history.
Kvitova’s bid to be one of just two players to three-peat at the Connecticut Open gained more steam on Thursday when she advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova.
“It’s always nice coming somewhere when you feel, you know, at home and you know you can play well,” Kvitova said. “It always gives you a little bit more confidence than normally.”
Venus Williams captured four straight titles from 1999-2002, while Caroline Wozniacki also won four straight crowns from 2008-2011.
Kvitova, who also won the Connecticut Open in 2012, improved to 19-2 in New Haven.
“I love Centre Court of Wimbledon, as well,” Kvitova said. “I think these two courts are just perfect for me. I always look forward to be here. I just feel so relaxed.”
Kvitova, seeded No. 6, has now won six of 10 matches against the unseeded Makarova, including a three-set victory at the Olympics.
“I was ready to battle again,”
said Kvitova, 26, who won the bronze medal in Rio. “I just knew that I had to be really focusing on each point. I know how difficult it was in Rio, but I think I played better here. I served better, for sure. A couple of the matches which we played before today were always a little bit tricky. I think in each of them that I had chances to win it, but I didn’t really take it.”
Much like her straightset win over Canadian Eugenie Bouchard on Wednesday night, Kvitova took advantage of a fast Stadium court with an aggressive style of play.
“That’s my game,” Kvitova said. “I never wait for the mistakes of the opponent.”
Kvitova has won 17 career titles at 13 different tournaments. The Connecticut Open trophy is the only one she has successfully defended.
“I’m really enjoying the place,” Kvitova added. “I can’t really say why. I just see so many young people in the street, students. We have great hotel. Of course, Anne (Worcester) as the tournament director, she’s great, she’s very familiar. I don’t know. It’s just something here that I really love.”
Svitolina advances
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina rolled into the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-1 win against Russia’s Elena Vesnina.
This is Svitolina’s fourth appearance in New Haven and her first in the semifinals, where she’ll face Johanna Larsson today.
“I’m playing well,” said Svitolina, who is seeded No. 10. “Today was great match. I’m serving really well, feeling good on the court. So I’m going to try to play my game tomorrow.”
Vesnina, who is ranked No. 20, made 33 unforced errors against Svitolina.
“I was trying to push her to make those errors,” Svitolina said. “I think in the end she was just going for too much. I know that she’s a shot-maker. I was trying to give her one more ball to hit, and to go little bit further probably.”
The 21-year old Svitolina is ranked No. 23 in the WTA standings. She is seeded No. 22 at next week’s U.S. Open. Her best result in a major was a quarterfinal run in 2015 at Roland Garros.
“Every match is a challenge,” Svitolina added. “This tournament is a new tournament. I don’t look at it as preparation (for the U.S. Open). Yeah, it’s great to play here, to play in front of people that are watching every day, trying to support us.”
Svitolina and Larsson have never played each other.
“I know she’s quite an aggressive player,” Svitolina said. “She also plays with a lot of spin, tries to move you around. Yeah, I need to move and to look for the ball, to be really focused every point. I think I’m just going to go out there and play my game. Yeah, I’m feeling good, so we’ll see. It’s going to be tough match, for sure.
Family Classic
The Connecticut Open Family Classic, now in its 16th year, crowned champions in nine divisions on Thursday. The event has provided thousands of families with competition at hundreds of tennis events, including regional championships, throughout New England and New York.
This year’s winners include: Parent/ Child 10U - Lukas and Liam Hovorka (Avon); Father/ Child 12U - Jeff and Ryan Morneau (East Longmeadow, Mass); Father/ Child 14U Bryan and Andrew Kelley (Darien); Father/ Child 18U - Thomas and Joey Conrod (Sandy Hook), Mother/ Child 12U - Stephanie and James Foster (Longmeadow, Mass.); Mother/ Child 14U Mary and Ian Wise (Darien); Mother/ Child 18U - Amy and Jack Johnson (Fairfield); Parent/Child Open - Andy and Zack Gould (Bedford, N.H.); and Husband/ Wife Barbara and Victor Calaba (New Canaan).