Johanna Konta through to Wimbledon quarter-finals with Petra Kvitova win
Konta to face Czech 2014 quarter-finalist Barbora Strycova on Tuesday for place in Wimbledon semi-finals
Tuesday 9 July 2019 06:32, UK
Johanna Konta made it through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time in three years thanks to a three-set victory over big-hitting Czech Petra Kvitova.
Konta showed character and determination to come from a set behind to defeat Kvitova 4-6 6-2 6-4 in impressive fashion.
She found herself up against it after losing the first set in a fierce-hitting contest on Centre Court.
"Overall I'm just pleased that I competed well. Also towards the end I thought I had good perspective because she started playing very freely," Konta said.
"The balls were coming through quick. Just happy I was able to keep a good perspective and just enjoy competing against her because she's very tough to play on this surface."
The British No 1 did well to stay with Kvitova during the first few games as she struck a number of top-quality winners but the Czech produced strong serving to save two break points in the eighth game, before a forehand which missed the mark from Konta sealed things in the next.
Konta began turning the match around right at the start of the second set with a first break of the Kvitova serve.
She held for 2-0 after an epic service game and then the errors began to leak from the Kvitova racket.
Konta missed a first set-point opportunity at 5-1 and then took a medical time-out to have her left ankle strapped before successfully serving out the set to send the match into a decider.
Czech sixth seed Kvitova had breezed into the fourth round at her favourite Grand Slam, which she won in 2011 and 2014, but the effects of an arm injury which forced her to pull out of the French Open appeared to be taking its toll.
It was Konta who broke early once again and looked to be running away with the contest by winning five games in a row to take her to the brink of victory.
A mammoth eighth game brought two match points but also four break points, the last of which Kvitova took to hand the Czech a glimmer of hope.
But Konta was much more aggressive on her next service game at 5-4 and the 19th seed took her third match point to complete the job in two hours and 24 minutes.
Konta now faces a very winnable last-eight clash on Tuesday against 33-year-old world No 54 Barbora Strycova for a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The pair have met only once previously, and it was the Czech who came out on top in 2017, winning 7-5 7-6 (7-5) in Tokyo.
Konta said of Strycova: "She's a very crafty player. She knows how to mix up the game.
"She knows how to play on this surface. She's won four matches, too, to get here, as well. Just looking forward to playing another great player. Nice to be in the quarterfinals of a slam again."
