WTA Finals: Petra Kvitova keeps semifinal hopes alive
That was the scenario facing tennis stars Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova at the $7 million WTA Finals on Wednesday, as both Czechs went into their White Group clash on the back of opening defeats.
Both came into the Singapore tournament battling health issues -- two-time grand slam winner Kvitova was diagnosed with mononucleosis before the U.S. Open, and Safarova had been sidelined by a bacterial infection following her first-round exit in New York.
'She's a good person and it's just kind of sad that we have to play each other in the group already,' said Kvitova after triumphing 7-5 7-5 to keep her semifinal hopes alive.
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They started training together when Kvitova was 14 -- Safarova, now 28, is three years older -- and next month will play together in the Fed Cup final against Russia as the Czech Republic seeks to defend its title and win for the fourth time since 2011.
'We are good friends from the Fed Cup, so I'm really glad it is coming soon and we are going to be colleagues and not opponents,' said world No. 5 Kvitova, who won the end-of-season championships in 2011 in Istanbul but went out at the group stage last year.
'It's tough to play her for sure, not only because she's a very good player right now, she's in good form, but also playing a friend it's a little bit tougher with emotions and everything. It's not easy to handle all these kind of things.'
Kvitova, however, racked up her eighth successive victory against her fellow left-hander, and next faces Spanish second seed Garbine Muguruza -- who is on the verge of reaching the semifinals in her debut appearance.
The 22-year-old defeated Angelique Kerber -- who beat Kvitova on Monday -- 6-4 6-4 to follow up her straight-sets win over Safarova.
Safarova, who reached the French Open final in June for her best showing at a grand slam, is having a more difficult first singles outing at the tournament.
Seeded eighth of the eight players, she will need to beat German Kerber in straight sets and hope Muguruza defeats Kvitova as comprehensively in order to reach the last four by the narrowest of margins on a countback.
'Life is like that. Sometimes you're up and sometimes you're down,' Safarova said. 'Sport is just much faster -- it can change from a couple days being really great to a couple days being really down.
'You just to have keep fighting and still have your dreams and goals there and slowly climb the way up.'
On Thursday, unbeaten Maria Sharapova will seek to clinch a semifinal place in her Red Group clash with U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta.
Top seed Simona Halep, who has a 1-1 record after losing to Sharapova on Tuesday, faces winless Agnieszka Radwanska in the day's opening singles match.
Read: Sharapova back with a bang in Singapore
Who will win the WTA title? Tell us on CNN Sport's Facebook page
Read: Sharapova back with a bang in Singapore 'She's a good person and it's just kind of sad that we have to play each other in the group already,' said Kvitova after triumphing 7-5 7-5 to keep her semifinal hopes alive. Safarova, who reached the French Open final in June for her best showing at a grand slam, is having a more difficult first singles outing at the tournament. 'It's tough to play her for sure, not only because she's a very good player right now, she's in good form, but also playing a friend it's a little bit tougher with emotions and everything. It's not easy to handle all these kind of things.' 'She's a good person and it's just kind of sad that we have to play each other in the group already,' said Kvitova after triumphing 7-5 7-5 to keep her semifinal hopes alive. Who will win the WTA title? Tell us on CNN Sport's Facebook page On Thursday, unbeaten Maria Sharapova will seek to clinch a semifinal place in her Red Group clash with U.S. Open champion Flavia Pennetta. 'You just to have keep fighting and still have your dreams and goals there and slowly climb the way up.' Both came into the Singapore tournament battling health issues -- two-time grand slam winner Kvitova was diagnosed with mononucleosis before the U.S. Open, and Safarova had been sidelined by a bacterial infection following her first-round exit in New York. Both came into the Singapore tournament battling health issues -- two-time grand slam winner Kvitova was diagnosed with mononucleosis before the U.S. Open, and Safarova had been sidelined by a bacterial infection following her first-round exit in New York. They started training together when Kvitova was 14 -- Safarova, now 28, is three years older -- and next month will play together in the Fed Cup final against Russia as the Czech Republic seeks to defend its title and win for the fourth time since 2011.
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