Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Former champion Petra Kvitova kept her hopes alive at this year’s BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global with a hard-fought win against Lucie Safarova.Watch highlights, interviews and much more video from Singapore right here on wtatennis.com!

After an out-of-sorts display against Angelique Kerber in her opening round robin match, Kvitova dug deep to see off her friend and Fed Cup teammate, 7-5, 7-5, after an hour and 47 minutes.

“I’m really glad that I was able to play and win the kind of match after my loss in the first match here,” Kvitova said.

With both players struggling to make an impression on the other’s serve, it was not until 40 minutes in that either saw a break point, Kvitova leaving the door ajar with her first doubles double-fault of the afternoon. The two-time Wimbledon champion slammed it shut, finishing off a passage of controlled aggression with a crosscourt backhand winner.

A game later Kvitova earned a couple of break points of her own. Converting at the second time of asking when she rifled a forehand onto the baseline.

Safarova, who has been plagued by injury and illness in recent months, surged into a 3-0 lead in the second set, only to see the World No.5 immediately erase the deficit. As in the first set, it was Safrova that wilted as the tie-break loomed, erring three times on her hitherto impressive forehand to slip to defeat.

“For sure it was a difficult match. I know that Lucie wasn’t really healthy weeks ago and I’m just happy that she’s here as well,” Kvitova added. “It’s great to have two Czechs in the WTA Finals.”

Defeat would almost certainly have condemned Kvitova to a second straight round robin exit at the Finals. Instead, now it is Safarova staring down the barrel of elimination, relying on Garbiñe Muguruza beating Kerber in Wednesday’s second White Group encounter.

Source: WTA

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.