Kim Clijsters (3) def. Alize Cornet (7-63, 6-3). Every potential champion has a bad day, unless you’re Sharapova at the ’08 Aussie Open or Nadal at the ’10 French Open, and thus yesterday was Clijsters’. With 6 double faults to 0 aces (ugh) and 41 unforced errors to 13 winners (ugh ugh), Clijsters was lucky to escape. But, then again, Cornet is not one of those players that can overwhelm with power or guile; she simply doesn’t have the tools to do so. Clijsters made it hard on herself — as always — but she’s still the favorite in my mind.
Petra Kvitova (25) def. Sam Stosur (5) (7-65, 6-3). One of a surprisingly large amount of Croat lefties, Petra Kvitova made quite a statement last year by making it to the semifinals of Wimbledon, losing to eventual champion Serena Williams. Kvitova looked better than that yesterday, improving her two-handed backhand into a biting weapon. With 35 winners to 26 unforced errors and 79 total points won to only 63 by Stosur, Kvitova looked every bit the experienced veteran she isn’t when she took down the home favorite. Surprisingly collected, Kvitova strolled through the match with an 80% first-serve percentage and — this one’s an unusually sweet stat for baseliner Kvitova — a 72% success rate at the net. Kvitova showed off bullets from both wings, but also the precision from then net. She appears to have a very good future, with the mental fortitude of Wozniacki and raw power of Alisa Kleybanova. Continue reading
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