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Kvitova to face Petkovic in women’s final

7 January 2011, by Brisbane International Tennis

Czech Petra Kvitova has upset Russian fifth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets to move into the Brisbane International final.
Kvitova started strongly, taking the first set before Pavlyuchenkova levelled the match at a set apiece. In the final set Kvitova raced away with the win, 6-4 4-6 6-2.

World No.34 Kvitova showed all the class that took her to a Wimbledon semifinals berth last year to outlast an opponent ranked 13 places higher than her in a match lasting almost two hours.

Remarkably Kvitova, 20, trailed 4-1 in the first set before rattling off the next eight games.

But the 19-year-old Russian bounced back to send it into a third set.

Tomorrow night she will meet German Andrea Petkovic who accounted for fourth seed Marion Bartoli of France in straight sets, 6-4 6-2.

“I started very slow on my legs and I made many mistakes and then I just focused on each point and play[ed] tactically better,” Kvitova said after her match.

“I’m looking forward to the final. It’s something special if you are playing [in the] final.”