Petra Kvitova, third favorite who loses in her debut

Petra Kvitova, 20th favorite, confirmed this Tuesday in Melbourne that she is going through a bad moment of play and results at the dawn of 2022. The 31-year-old Czech, a finalist in 2019, did not pass the first round of the Australian Open this time by falling clearly against the Romanian Sorana Cirstea (double 6-2 in 71 minutes). She had just lost in her debut in Adelaide and in the round of 16 in Sydney and did not know how to handle the start of a demanding and tough Grand Slam for players who, like her, had not played for a few months (since October in Indian Wells). Kvitova shot her unforced error count to 39 and lost serve four times, while Cirstea, who eliminated Petra last year on the same stage, but in the second act, he saved the only two break options his rival had. She will face the Slovakian Kucova, who was able to defeat the Japanese Doi.

She had no trouble advancing 19th-seeded Elise Mertens, who beat Russian veteran Vera Zvonareva 6-4 7-5, and her rival in the second will be the Romanian Begu. The Belgian hit 27 winners and converted four of the six break points available to her. Neither did Iga Swiatek (7th), who was far superior to the previous British Harriet Dart (6-3 and 6-0). The Pole, who made her Grand Slam debut in Melbourne and has never lost to a player outside the top-100 in this category, will face Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson. Anett Kontaveit also won with solvency. The Estonian, finalist of the WTA Finals, in which she lost to Muguruza, defeated the Czech Siniakova 6-2 and 6-3, and awaits a rival: Tauson or Sharma.

Australian Open women’s draw.