Petra Kvitova is through to the fourth round of Roland Garros after beating Leylah Fernandez in straight sets. Fernandez was Canada's last hope and was the final Canadian eliminated. Kvitova was looking to keep her run going.
A wild first set :
Nerves were a factor early in this one as Fernandez started the match on serve and faced two early breakpoints. She would end up double-faulting to give the Czech an early 1-0 lead. The Montreal native struck back in the next game, breaking back forcing the error from the number seven seed to level the set at one.
The 100th ranked player in the world was able to hold her serve and went on the attack looking for the break, she would end up getting a breakpoint with another error from the 11th ranked player in the world. She would end up breaking and once again holding her serve to make it 4-1.
The word upset was crossing everyone's mind at this stage of the match and the Canadian continued her offensive game. She would have more break chances on the Czech next service game and broke once more to make it 5-1 with a brilliant passing shot.
Serving for the set is when the match turned on its head completely as Fernandez had a set point but Kvitova would save it with a drop shot. The Czech would actually earn a breakpoint when the Canadian would hit a ball long.
She would end up breaking the 18-year-old with a beautiful winner up the line to make it 5-2. The Bilovec native would hold serve and continued her comeback forcing another breakpoint when the Montreal native would send a ball long.
Kvitova would have three chances to break again but Fernandez did a good job saving them and was rewarded with another set point. The Czech once again would save that breakpoint with a return winner. She would eventually break to make it 5-4 and the match was back on serve.
Kvitova would hold to make it 5-5 and then on the next game had another breakpoint to go up 6-5 and take her first lead of the set when Fernandez would double fault.
The Canadian would double fault again to give the Czech a 6-5 lead and she would serve for the first set. Kvitova would have three set points but Fernandez would save them before getting a breakpoint of her own to potentially send it to a tiebreaker.
The number seven seed would save the breakpoint with a backhand down the line winner and would clinch the set two points later with a forehand that the Canadian couldn't return. Just like that Kvitova had won six games in a row to take it 7-5.
Continued Czech Dominance :
Kvitova once again had breakpoints in the first game of the second set would break on her second chance with a powerful forehand. She would continue her dominant play with a love service game to make it 2-0.
She would increase her lead to three continuing her aggressive game style and hitting shots the Canadian couldn't return. The Montreal native would finally win her first game of the set when she broke the Czech with a forehand winner on a breakpoint.
The 100th ranked player followed that up with a love service game to make it 3-2 and was starting again to put pressure on the 11th ranked player in the world.
Both players would hold their next service games and at 4-3 the Canadian had two chances to break and go back on serve but Kvitova would save them both. She would hold serve and in the next game, she clinched the win on her opponent serve winning match point with a forehand winner.
After the match, Kvitova spoke about the adversity she faced and how she was able to come back into the match.
" I was there every point getting my rhythm and my game on and being patient, suddenly the match was turning around, I was playing a little bit better, I was counting the points and that's how I was able to get back in the first set"