FORMER champion Petra Kvitova booked her fourth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final appearance with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro on Monday (July 1).
Czech eighth seed Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011, overpowered Spanish 19th seed Suarez Navarro with 23 winners and will face Belgian 20th seed Kirsten Flipkens for a place in the semi-finals.
As the highest seed remaining in the bottom half of the draw, Kvitova has a golden opportunity to reach her second Grand Slam final.
Since her surprise Wimbledon triumph, Kvitova has struggled to fulfil her potential and her last three Grand Slam appearances ended by the fourth round.
But she had made at least the last eight in each of her previous three visits to Wimbledon and the 23-year-old had one foot in the quarters again when she won a tight first set tie-break.
Kvitova landed the decisive break for a 4-2 lead in the second set before serving out the win.
Flipkens sealed her first Grand Slam quarter-final berth with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 victory against Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta.
The 27-year-old, who had failed to get past the third round in five previous Wimbledon appearances, appeared overwhelmed by her success as she crouched down to kiss the grass before wiping away tears as she waved to the crowd.
Later in Monday’s last-16 action, defending champion Serena Williams faces big-serving German Sabine Lisicki.
Also later, unseeded Laura Robson will try to become the first British woman to reach the quarter-finals since Jo Durie in 1984.
