Back to the Tennis Newsfeed

Kvitova, Fernandez, Kerber fall in the first round of the Australian Open

Petra Kvitova, Leylah Fernandez and Angelique Kerber dropped out of the Australian Open in the first round on Day 2.

For the second straight year, two-time Grand Slam champion and 2019 Australian Open runner-up Petra Kvitova loses to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea at Melbourne Park. This time, the 20th-seeded Czech lost her opener 6-2 6-2 in just 71 minutes in John Cain Arena, while last year the defeat happened in three sets in the second round.

The world No.38 Cirstea, who has risen almost 50 spots in the WTA rankings since the end of 2020, was never broken in her first-round victory and is one win away from leveling her head-to-head record with Petra Kvitova at 5-5.