Wimbledon 2023: Kvitova, Sabalenka advance to fourth round in contrasting style

Czech Republic`s Petra Kvitova returns the ball to Serbia`s Natalija Stevanovic during their women`s singles tennis match on the sixth day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. Pic/AFP

Two-times champion Petra Kvitova dodged the rain and overcame dogged resistance from qualifier Natalija Stevanovic while No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka raced to the fourth round with a comprehensive straight sets victory in women's singles competition at Wimbledon on Saturday.

Kvitova, who won the Wimbledon title in 2011 and 2014, extended her winning streak to eight matches in 2023 after beating Stevanovic 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday. Stevanovic is on a high, having captured her 31st career WTA Tour title two weeks ago in Berlin.

Against No.225-ranked Stevanovic, Kvitova had spells where she looked unstoppable. After a slow start, she roared back from an early break deficit to take the first set in a flurry of fine volleying and efficient serving. Even when Stevanovic raised her game in the second set, Kvitova came up with some superb defense en route to a break lead.

Kvitova will next face either No.6 seed Ons Jabeur or former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.

Sabalenka did not face much trouble in her third-round encounter, losing little time in securing a 6-2, 6-3 win against World No.40 Anna Blinkova.

Sabalenka was playing for the second time in two days including a three-set battle against Varvara Gracheva on Friday but did not show much fatigue as she swept aside Blinkova to take the first set in just 31 minutes.

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Blinkova was unable to match the power game of the 2023 Australian Open champion and despite a break in the third game, Sabalenka raced to the fourth round.

Sabalenka, who is looking for her second Grand Slam title and first at Wimbledon, now faces Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round. Her best at Wimbledon is a semifinal appearance in 2021.

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