Petra Kvitova is still waiting for her first win since she returned from having a baby after losing 6-4 3-6 4-6 to France’s Varvara Gracheva at the GDP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Kvitova, 34, returning from a 17-month break last month after the birth of his son Petr, ran out of steam in a saw-saw match lasting for two hours and 23 minutes.
Gracheva, who is now facing rapidly rising Russian Mirra Andreva in the second round, fought back after losing the opening set 6-4, deciding Kvitova to lead 4-2 in the other before smoothing the match.
Kvitova hit back from 3-1 down to levels it at 3-3 in the decision, but decisively lost earns again at 4-4, and the world # 70 served out for the victory.
After her victory, Gracheva paid tribute to the former world # 2 Kvitova: “If you let me go back a little, I really want to congratulate her,” she said in her on-Court interview.
“Because she had a child recently and I’m so glad she now has the role of a mother and a tennis player who is very demanding. It’s very inspiring for sports, athletes, women – it’s just amazing. Petra, my admiration for you – you’re the best!”
In his first match back on the trip, at the ATX Open in Texas at the end of last month, Kvitova was beaten in three sets of British # 6 Jodie Burrage.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
British # 1 Katie Boulter opens up her fight back to full fitness and how she is planning her year to come on WTA Tour
Pegula flies austin -finalists to Indian wells in private jet
Jessica Pegula offered to fly double players to California after competing in Austin
The finalists of the ATX Open in Austin were spared for an overwhelming trip in the evening to Indian wells after Sunday’s action, after American Jessica Pegula flew them to the tournament in the California desert of her private jet.
Pegula, whose billionaire parents own Buffalo’s NFL and NHL franchises, won the single title in Austin and defeated compatriot McCartney Kessler 7-5 6-2, but hung around when Kessler and Zhang Shuai lost to Yuan Yu and Anna Blinkova in the Doubles final.
With the players, who then face a quick turn in front of the Indian wells, Pegula offered to fly them all to California to the WTA 1000 tournament.
Zhang thanked Pegula for her generosity on Instagram, adding that they would otherwise have been exposed to a late night Layover in Los Angeles or trips to nearby airports in Dallas and Houston.
“You know she can leave right after her single final, but she’s such a selfless and generous girl,” Zhang wrote.
“This message is not to show that I took the jet, would just appreciate and transfer love.”
Blinkova also shared Zhang’s story on Instagram and thanked World No 4 Pegula, which has collected more than $ 17 million. In prize money in his career.
China’s yue also expressed gratitude to us open runner-up pegula on social media for the luxurious trip.
“Otherwise, we would all have been on the way for at least nine hours,” she added.
See ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, Live On Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with the NOW and Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 percent more live sports this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.