Petra Kvitova has been still waiting for her first victory since she returned from a child after losing 6-4 3-6 4-6 in Varvara Gracheva, France in BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Kvitova, 34, who returned from a 17-month break last month after giving birth to her son Petr, left the steam in a sawmill, which lasted two hours and 23 minutes.
Gracheva, who now faces the rapid growth of Russian Mirra Andreeva in the second round, fought again after losing the 6-4 opening set, firmly breaking Kvitova to lead 4-2 in the second before leaving the game.
Kvitova withdrew from 3-1 down to level it to 3-3 in decision makers, but lost substantially serve again at 4-4 and the world No. 70 served for victory.
After her victory, Gracheva made a tribute to the ex-World No 2 Kvitova: “If you let me withdraw a little, I really want to wish her,” she said in her court interview.
“Because she had a baby quite lately, and I’m so happy that she now has the role of a mother and a tennis player, who is very much sought after. Already inspiring for sports, athletes, women – it’s just amazing. Petra, my admiration – you are the best!”
In her first game again on the tour, at the Open atx in Texas at the end of last month, Kvitova was beaten in three groups by the British No 6 Jodie Menge.
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Pegula flies Austin’s finalists in Indian wells on private plane
Jessica Pegula offered to fly in doubles players to California after competing in Austin
Austin’s Austin finalists were spared a late night grueling in Indian Wells after Sunday’s action after Jessica Pegula flew them in the tour of the California desert in her private aircraft.
Pegula, whose billionaire parents own the Buffalo’s NFL and NHL exclusives, won the title of bachelors in Austin by defeating compatriot McCartney Kessler 7-5 6-2, but were hanged while Kessler and Zhang Shuai lost to Yuan Yue and Anna Blinkova in the finale of Double.
With the players then facing a quick turn before the main Indian Wells draw, Pegula offered to fly everyone to California for the WTA 1000 tournament.
Zhang thanked Pegula for her generosity on Instagram, adding that they would otherwise have faced a late night departure in Los Angeles or trips to nearby airports in Dallas and Houston.
“You know she can leave immediately after the final of her bachelors, but she is such a selfless and generous girl,” Zhang wrote.
“This message is not to show that I got the plane. I just wanted to appreciate and transfer love.”
Blinkova also shared Zhang’s story on Instagram and thanked World No. 4 Pegula, which has raised more than $ 17 million in her career prices.
China’s Yue also expressed gratitude to us open for the open competition on social media for the luxury trip.
“Otherwise, we would all have been on the road for at least nine hours,” she added.
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