World number one Caroline Wozniacki and her chief rankings rival Petra Kvitova had demanding three-set introductions to the Sydney International in their first official matches of the season on Tuesday. Wozniacki and Kvitova, tuning up for next week's Australian Open, were on court for more than two hours in warm conditions after beginning their Australian campaigns indoors at last week's Hopman Cup in Perth.
Wozniacki was beaten by world number two Kvitova in three sets in the mixed teams Hopman Cup, after beating American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in her other singles matches. After her two hour and 22 minute match against the 18th-ranked Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, the Danish world number one said her 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory had been a tough contest.
"I thought I didn't have that chance, but I never gave up the fight," said Wozniacki, whose tenure at the top of the women's singles rankings comes despite not yet winning a grand slam in 19 attempts. Wozniacki set up a quarter-final clash against Polish seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who overcame Germany's Andrea Petkovic in straight sets. Wozniacki leads Radwanska 5-1.
On her much-anticipated contest with Kvitova for the top spot, the Dane said she was looking forward to it. Kvitova trails Wozniacki by 295 rankings points with 470 points up for grabs to the winner of the Sydney International. "Petra is a great girl. I like her a lot. She's one of my good friends," she said. "I'm sure we'll play against each other and we'll both do well in the years to come," Wozniacki said.
Kvitova also a had tough fight against Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru, needing two hours and 18 minutes to defeat the world number 66 at the Ken Rosewall Arena. The powerful left-hander, who became the third Czech woman to win Wimbledon last year, faltered in the heat during the middle set before regaining her form and setting up a quarter-final with Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova.
Defending champion Li Na also had a difficult time before subduing South African Chanelle Scheepers 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to set up a quarter-final with Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic. French Open semi-finalist Marion Bartoli skated into the quarters with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Australian Jelena Dokic and will play third seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the last eight. Azarenka accounted for Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-2.
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