Petra Kvitova narrowly defeats Garbine Muguruza in heavy US Open contest

Petra Kvitova raises her fist in victory after a dramatic third round match at the US Open against Garbine Muguruza

Garbine Muguruza gave it everything she had in an up and down battle but knew she lost to a difficult opponent at the US Open Saturday. Petra Kvitova’s game was far from perfect, committing so many double faults and errors, but dug in through every moment on the court to win 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(10) at Louis Armstrong Stadium at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. It was the sixth win for the Czech against the Spaniard, who got the hint once more that no matter how many points, her opponent had the stamina to pull out the win.

The Spaniard added another victory in the year’s final slam, handling the young Czech in her second-round match Thursday. In her path was the former world number two, who had a leg up on Muguruza, beating her one of the five times at the US Open. They last met in the final of Doha twice, where Kvitova handed the 28-year-old defeats for the title. With a chance to win three matches in a row for the first time since winning the WTA championship last year, the ninth seed eyed a way to stop her losing streak to her rival.

Kvitova started first, allowing the ninth seed just one point in the opening game. The Spaniard beat her opponent with a serve to love but then witnessed the Czech pull off the same feat. Muguruza leveled the score at two-all with her second shutout of the 21st seed. Making a statement was important early for Muguruza, who denied Kvitova a second serve to love. Her smashed shot near the net got her into the score, but the Czech delivered a sliced winner to steer herself to the lead.

Gaining a break in the sixth started with errors from the Spaniard, followed by three forehand winners that made it 4-2 for Kvitova. A break back kept the ninth seed within reach of the Czech, who wanted to keep her pace in check. Muguruza carried the momentum with a six-point streak until a pushback in the eighth stopped a serve to love. The 28-year-old still consolidated for a four-all situation at the business end of the set.

Despite committing a third double fault, Kvitova pulled together the wide serves, helping her lead at 5-4. Getting the pressure on Muguruza was key, but a fight ensued while she held control from her end. Kvitova used her crosscourt as a way to force deuce, but the ninth seed set up the win to go on in the set. Kvitova served for a shot to tie, but her attempts to hit it left failed. She suffered three double faults, gifting Muguruza the 6-5 lead a window of opportunity to steal the set.

The Czech tried to pull some tricks when she got to deuce, but some of her ideas didn’t work out. Muguruza fed off the errors and carried off the set in 44 minutes in a serious change of momentum. Kvitova allowed the set to get away due to six double faults and 17 unforced errors. Muguruza managed to add up the winners to 7, causing the damage as well.

Kvitova was fortunate to take a short break off the court and return to serve the second. She started with a winner before drawing an error for the lead. The Czech landed her fifth ace and placed a winner thereafter to secure the service. Muguruza responded with a serve to love, showing her opponent she remained in charge. Kvitova delivered three aces on serve but faced adversity from the Spaniard.

They held serve through three games until a redirect return for Kvitova in the sixth brought up a break chance. She capped it on another redirect from Muguruza, gaining a 4-2 hold to dig in for control. Kvitova fell behind on serve in the seventh, but getting errors off Muguruza helped her build more confidence while clouding her opponent’s focus. On game point, Kvitova consolidated with a clean winner from the forehand, closing in on the set. Muguruza didn’t worry about the score and focused on getting into game point position to close out her service.

Kvitova fought back to get the errors out of her opponent and force deuce. After two breaks, it was the Czech giving up the break chance, but she had time to get the set under her belt. The 21st seed played the whole court to her advantage, but on set point, she double-faulted on her attempt to ace Muguruza. She managed to keep the mission at hand and closed the second with her seventh ace in 41 minutes. Though she notched 11 errors, making 16 winners against the ninth seed proved that she could make this a challenge, but her ball toss had to improve going into the decider.

Both came in the third, focused, and held through four games, despite some small deficits. Muguruza was the first to break ahead, holding Kvitova to point while serving, and broke her in the sixth, pulling off the same feat. She took advantage of a two-game winning streak, making it three straight for a 5-2 stand on the 21st seed. Unforced errors continued to take a toll on the Czech, as she recorded more than ever against Muguruza, who played for the match and a major upset.

Kvitova struggled with the double fault, notching her tenth of the day, but somehow came through the service. It was up to the Spaniard to serve out the ninth game but double-faulted for her third of the match. She remained ahead of the Czech, who committed her 40th error of the match, but it was opened wide on a terrific return from her end, on the following point.

The pressure was felt by the 28-year-old, who sent another ball into the net, bringing up a break for Kvitova. The Czech got it on a long ball return from Muguruza, who had one game left to end the competition. Kvitova served strong in the tenth, pushing out the errors from Muguruza to complete the comeback of being 2-5 down and back in the hunt. The 28-year-old was first to act in the 11th, gaining a 40-0 lead and holding the Czech to a point.

Kvitova found herself trailing during a critical moment, giving Muguruza a chance to take the match away. The 21st seed made her way back to deuce, but a 12th double fault set up a second match point that went into the net. Kvitova earned an AD point chance to force a tiebreak, but a 13th double fault came from her service. A second attempt came back on a sliced winner from Muguruza, who forced a fifth break. Kvitova got the AD point back to her end, making three a charm and a tiebreak into action.

It was a race to ten points, and through the first six, the score was tied, with Kvitova serving for the lead. A long return gave the ninth seed the minibreak but handed one right back to her opponent. The Czech reached the halfway mark, gaining another on a forced winner. Kvitova achieved three straight points for a decent lead and kept three points between them after gaining eight. She gave up two on balls long of the baseline, putting the Spaniard within reach.

The ninth seed tried to go for the tie but instead handed Kvitova a second match point. It didn’t go as planned when they got into a lob volley battle inside the court, making it nine apiece. Kvitova brought up a third match point, but it went south on an error that opened the door for Muguruza, who saw it close on a line drive winner. It was the one that set up Kvitova for the long-awaited win, scoring the victory in 2 hours and 39 minutes. The two combined 217 points played and Kvitova with 50 unforced errors on the day. Despite that massive struggle, she notched 43 winners and only double-faulted four in the final set to come through by the last two points.