The 'shame' in champ's reaction to US Open win

1 year ago 109

Petra Kvitova's absorption to her gripping third-round triumph astatine the US Open — 1 of alleviation and not ecstasy — has near Australian tennis icon Wally Masur pondering a "shame".

The erstwhile top-level manager took a infinitesimal to bespeak connected Kvitova's property league aft she outlasted Spaniard Garbiñe Muguruza successful a three-set epic, yet winning a match-deciding tiebreak 12-10.

"I'm gladsome that someway it worked retired and I'm gladsome it was a large alleviation astatine the lucifer point," a smiling Kvitova said with her caput successful her hands.

"So, yeah, relief."

"Isn't it funny? Relief — that's (sometimes) the players' emotion," Masur said connected Stan Sport's Grand Slam Daily.

"I interviewed Marat Safin aft helium won the Australian Open (in 2005). He looked astatine me, helium looked exhausted, helium said, 'No hard questions, I'm exhausted, I'm truthful relieved'.

"So, bully players expect truthful overmuch of themselves that sometimes they don't bask a win. It's similar a consciousness of relief. It seems a shame, isn't it?"

Grand Slam Daily big Chris Stubbs likened the mindset to Cathy Freeman's erstwhile she clinched golden successful the 400m astatine the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Without a hint of a smile, Freeman unzipped her iconic bodysuit, enactment a manus implicit her eyes and dropped to the track.

"Relief was an overwhelming emotion, due to the fact that it was thing I'd dreamt of ever since I was 10 years old," the Australian moving fable said successful the Sydney Olympics documentary.

"Almost a spot Cathy Freeman-esque, isn't it?" Stubbs said of Kvitova's absorption connected Grand Slam Daily.

Special Ks done successful consecutive sets

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The Czech Republic's Kvitova hasn't precocious beyond the semi-finals of a expansive slam since the Roland-Garros tourney of 2020, and is lone the 21st effect astatine this year's US Open.

But Masur considers the 32-year-old, who conquered Wimbledon successful 2011 and 2014, a genuine rubric chance.

"Kvitova's 1 of my favourites for the tournament," Masur said.

"I've benignant of got groups of players; I've got the tennis players and I've got the first-strike players, with each the power.

"For me, Kvitova mightiness beryllium 1 of those first-strike players that tin get the occupation done."

Kvitova volition conscionable American Jessica Pegula, the tournament's eighth seed, successful the 4th round.

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