WHAT HAPPENED: Petra Kvitova played like a woman with a show to catch on Day 2 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The No. 10 seed from the Czech Republic powered past unseeded Polona Hercog of Slovenia, 6-1, 6-2, making it 30 match wins in 14 US Open appearances for the two-time quarterfinalist. Only Victoria Azarenka has more match wins (40) among the players in this year’s women’s singles draw.
Kvitova saved her second ace for match point, making it 3-0 in matches and a perfect 6-0 in sets against her fellow veteran, who was playing her 11th US Open main draw. Kvitova got lots of looks at mid-court serve returns and rally balls and unleashed her power cleanly for 18 winners. Hercog struggled on serve from the beginning, going 1-for-6 on first serves in her opening game to drop an early break. Kvitova raced out to a 5-0 lead before tossing in a string of unforced errors to put Hercog on the board. The second set was more of the same as Kvitoa won all of her break-point opportunities to remain in firm control.
“From the beginning, I think I was really there,” she said. “First two games were kind of key, as well, to get little bit more relaxed and comfortable in the court.”
WHAT IT MEANS: If Kvitova maintains this form, she will be more dangerous than she’s given credit for. A history of early-round exits in New York has made her a bit overlooked in a stacked draw, the only Grand Slam where she has yet to make a semifinal. She also has a reputation for struggling in the hottest conditions. But no one will want to be on the other side of her baseline onslaught. In a kind section of the draw, she has a great chance to go farther than last year, when she lost a sizzling fourth-round match to Shelby Rogers, 8-6 in the third set.
There’s another thing going for Kvitova—she likes New York now.
“The US Open was never the best Grand Slam for me,” she said. “In the last couple years, I found a love for this Grand Slam. For me, the time off the court is really important, as well, not to still be thinking about the tennis. I get used to even the fans. They are just supporting, like, screaming all the time. It's just something which I never like before. But I like it now, so that's good.”
Perhaps not so much for the rest of the field. Her next opponent will be unseeded—either Danka Kovinic or fellow Czech Kristyna Pliskova.
MATCH POINT: Kvitova has the most career titles (28) among this year’s US Open women’s singles field.
