An unheralded Estonian claimed the Brisbane International women’s crown seven years ago.
And history may yet repeat in 2019 after unseeded Anett Kontaveit paid tribute to trail-blazing compatriot Kaia Kanepi following a second-round upset over dual Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Fatigued fourth-seeded Czech and world No.7 Kvitova had few answers for world No.20 Kontaveit, crashing out 7-5 7-6(1) in 98 minutes.
It provided an abrupt end for the 2011 Brisbane champion.
But Kontaveit’s post-match thoughts were only with the 2012 Brisbane title winner – Kanepi.
Anett with the upset! 🇪🇪
Kontaveit bests No.4 seed Kvitova 7-5 7-6(1) behind a steely performance. She’ll face Lesia Tsurenko in the QFs#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/OgxGnOAFBp
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 2, 2019
Kanepi seemed to come from the clouds seven years ago when the then world No.34 took out the Brisbane final, her second career title.
Now Kontaveit, 23, hopes to follow in her idol’s footsteps after booking a quarter-final clash with Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.
“We’re a really small country,” Kontaveit said. “Kaia has led the way for me. She won this tournament a few years ago – she’s shown that you can make it in tennis.”
No wonder Kontaveit is inspired.
Kanepi was the first Estonian to reach a WTA final and a grand slam quarter-final and is the first from her country to crack the world top 20 and win a WTA title.
Quickly, quietly, No.8 seed Sevastova is into the QFs…
After beating Gavrilova Tuesday she takes out qualifier Dart, 6-2 6-0. Will meet No.2 seed Osaka therehttps://t.co/9WmCNgroG3 #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/o6Rio9KHi7
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 2, 2019
Kontaveit didn’t have it all her own way in Brisbane, fighting back from 5-2 down in the second set to force a tiebreak.
However, Kvitova did it tough trying to back up from her marathon three-hour first-round win over American Danielle Collins barely 24 hours earlier.
In contrast, Kontaveit took just 52 minutes to brush aside Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0 6-3.
It marked Kontaveit’s ninth career win over a top 10 player.
Champ here two years ago, @KaPliskova is back into the QFs with a 7-5 6-2 effort over 🇨🇿 countrywoman Marie Bouzkova#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/vJ4jNe93EO
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 2, 2019
FORMER CHAMPION PLISKOVA SAFELY ADVANCES
There were no such troubles for another Czech former Brisbane champion, Karolina Pliskova.
The No.5 seed and 2017 winner ended the run of her compatriot and qualifier Marie Bouzkova, 7-5 6-2 and awaits the victor of the match between Ajla Tomljanovic and Johanna Konta.
Croatian Donna Vekic staged a dramatic comeback before a packed Show Court 1 to oust sixth seed Kiki Bertens in two-hours, 24 minutes.
Dutchwoman Bertens held two match points on serve at 5-4 in the third set before the 22-year-old snuck through to set a potential quarter-final with top seed and defending champion Elina Svitolina.
Earlier, eighth seed Anastasija Sevastova cruised into the quarter-finals with a second-round thrashing of British qualifier Harriet Dart.
Latvia’s Sevastova booked a last-eight clash with second seed and reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan with the 6-2 6-0 rout.
World No.11 Sevastova – a 2018 US Open semi-finalist – had no troubled backing up after knocking out Australia’s Daria Gavrilova in straight sets in the first round.