JOY.
I love Venus-Petra matches. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. On Thursday, Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova will play each other for a place in the quarter-finals of Beijing. The pair have played five times and ALL five matches have gone three sets. I’m sorry about all the capital letters. I’M EXCITED. Venus Williams lost to Caroline Garcia in Wuhan, an absorbing three setter where Venus had a match point. The pair played again in Beijing, but this match saw a different result as Venus won in straight sets, 6-4 6-3. You can read Adam Wells’ full recap of the match HERE.
Kvitova’s first match of the week was on Wednesday as she defeated Peng Shuai, 6-4 6-2. Petra has played 16 matches since Wimbledon and only two have gone to three sets. I’m finding all these comfortable wins for Petra rather unsettling, but equally great. Kvitova was in superb form in Wuhan and none of her matches were particularly long so it’s fair to say she should have enough in the tank to mount a deep run in Beijing.
In the Venus-Petra H2H, Petra has won their last three matches. As mentioned above, they have all been very close. Petra won in third set tiebreaks in Tokyo 2013 (3-6 6-3 7-6(2) and Doha 2014 (6-2 2-6 7-6(7), both excellent matches. The best of the lot though came at Wimbledon earlier this year when Kvitova edged a stunning contest, 5-7 7-6(2) 7-5, the match that set her on the path to the Wimbledon title. Venus has been vulnerable in the depths of third sets and Petra should have bundles of confidence after Wuhan. Petra for the win…
Prediction: Kvitova d. V.Williams in 3 sets
Moo's Tennis Blog 
Petra and Venus won their sets by the same amount all 3 times ! #curious
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I think Kvitova has this. She looks so comfortable on an Asian hard court and she really had been playing some of her best tennis thus far.
Venus should never be counted out but personally I can’t see her winning UNLESS Petra goes walkabouts mid match.
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I think venue is playing very well this one should be her
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Agree with James’ assessment and Andrew’s comments. Petra should have this, but you never know with her and you can’t write Venus off. I watched their classic match at Wimbledon this year and it really was just the odd point here or there. Could easily have gone the other way. And if it had, who knows, she might have gone all the way like Petra did!
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