5:06 am | July 6, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
WIMBLEDON, England — A week ago, Petra Kvitova wasn’t even sure if she could hold a racket in her left hand, never mind play against some of the best tennis players in the world at Wimbledon.
She can do both.
The two-time Wimbledon champion reached the second week at the grass-court Grand Slam for the first time since her last title at the All England Club in 2014, beating Magda Linette 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday on No. 2 Court.
Kvitova, seeded sixth, broke her opponent three times while never giving Linette a chance to break back.
The 29-year-old left-hander from the Czech Republic was attacked in her home in 2016, needing surgery on her playing arm. She reached the Australian Open final at the beginning of this year but pulled out of the French Open with an injured left forearm.
She decided to play at Wimbledon at the last minute.
On Monday in the fourth round, Kvitova will face either 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens or Johanna Konta, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2017.
Alison Riske of the United States earned a debut appearance in Wimbledon’s fourth round with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 13 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
The 55th-ranked Riske has won each of her matches in three sets this week. She had never been past the third round in eight previous appearances at the All England Club, including a second-round loss to Bencic a year ago.
Riske will face No. 1 Ash Barty or Harriet Dart on Monday with a quarterfinal berth at stake.
Also, Carla Suarez Navarro made it to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the third time, but she has never progressed any further.
Suarez Navarro, who has yet to drop a set this week, beat unseeded American Lauren Davis 6-3, 6-3.
The 30th-seeded Spaniard will face either Serena Williams or Julia Goerges in the fourth round.
Williams could play two matches at Wimbledon on Saturday, first in singles and later with partner Andy Murray in mixed doubles.
The seven-time singles champion will face the 18th-seeded Goerges in the third round on No. 1 Court in a rematch of last year’s semifinals.
Williams and Murray were supposed to debut as a team Friday, but that was postponed. They likely will get on court later Saturday.
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