To overcome the disappointment of the aborted women's singles match the night before, organisers promised that the first match on Rod Laver Arena today would be a ripper. And so it came to pass - the opening five games saw Petra Kvitova rip the heart out of Maria Kirilenko, and accordingly the 27th seed took an injury time-out.
The break would be to address psychological damage more than anything, the number two seed having ensured a course of therapy for Maria over the next twelve months. However, it soon became apparent that the leg had gone out in sympathy and Kirilenko's battle if not already monumental now proved impossible.
Petra, using the historically etched Suarez-Navarro scare as motivation, again broke the serve of the Russian girl, and won the set 6-0. After holding serve comfortably to lead 1-0, Maria pulled the plug, and any remaining interest in the match flowed down the drain.
Kvitova now into the fourth round, and wih the early finish there were Saturday markets in Melbourne to enjoy. In the abbreviated exhibition of Petra delights, we witnessed the signature forehand of course, but tired of taking a back seat, the backhand fired up and was responsible for some of the most excellent of excellence from the Kvitova side of the net.
The quietly spoken reigning Wimbledon Champion would be followed in the next match by an ex Wimbledon Champion whose silence on court is restricted to the walking on and walking off parts. And for the second time this year, Maria followed another Maria.
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