Exhausted Petra Kvitova will seek “stability and peace” to exorcise the demons of a frustrating six months that culminated in a second-round defeat at Wimbledon.
The two-time champion slumped out with a protracted, straight-sets loss to Russian Ekaterina Makarova, the 10th seed beaten 7-5 7-6 (7/5).
World number 35 Makarova took the first set on Friday before rain forced the tie into the weekend, but not even the delays could help 2011 and 2014 champion Kvitova find her Wimbledon groove.
Kvitova has now reached the second week in a slam just twice in the last eight major tournaments, and admitted to battling to adjust to life with new coach Frantisek Cermak, while she also recently said she had split from her fiance.
“In the last couple of months a lot of things happened in my life, it’s a lot of changes, I just have to get used to all that,” said Kvitova, who parted ways with long-term coach David Kotyza in January.
“I made a decision which I still believe is right. The challenge is still up and down but the ups are not as great as maybe the last year or years before.
“But I still believe the ups will come. I still need to be more confident on court but I’m not finished with tennis. I’m still young, I want to get back to the top again.
“I had been with David (Kotyza) for seven years; it’s something different for me now. I hope I will finally have some stability and peace, because the last six months have been exhausting for me.
“Hopefully everything will get better and be more settled for me. I have got a brilliant team around me who believe in me and I’m grateful for having them.”
Makarova’s victory tees up a third-round battle with Barbara Strycova. Incessant rain delays ensured Kvitova and Makarova were the last women to complete their second-round clash, but the beaten Czech star refused to bemoan the scheduling.
“It’s the same for everyone I have to say,” said Kvitova, of the weather problems. “I’m hoping that the Olympic Games will be better for me. Tennis is beautiful but at the same time it can be awful.
“Here it was very painful but then two weeks later I will be concentrating on Montreal and the Olympics. So I will sleep it off.”
Simona Halep shrugged off a mystery Achilles problem to ease past Kiki Bertens 6-4 6-3 and into the fourth round.
Halep will now face ninth seed Madison Keys in the fourth round, and will hope to keep her niggling injury at bay.
“For three days I had unbelievable pain, I couldn’t walk, and then it was gone,” said fifth seed Halep of her curious injury.
“Here after a few days I started to feel it again, but then the next day it was gone.
“I can’t say anything about this Achilles, it’s going as it wants. Hopefully I will be able to play my best tennis and move my best.”
Beaten 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard slipped out 6-4 6-3 in the third round at the hands of 19th seed Dominika Cibulkova.
Canadian Bouchard could face a fine after being handed a code violation, while Cibulkova will meet either Agnieszka Radwanska or Katerina Siniakova in the fourth round.
America’s world number nine Keys battled past France’s Alize Cornet 6-4 5-7 6-2 in a dogged performance, to line up that intriguing encounter with Halep.
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber dispatched fellow German Carina Witthoeft in straight sets and eventual style, to set up a fourth-round clash with Misaki Doi.
Kerber won out 7-6 (13/11) 6-1, to book that meeting with Doi, who saw off Anna-Lena Friedsam 7-6 (7/1) 6-3.
Lucie Safarova held off the challenge of giant-killer Jana Cepelova, the Slovakian qualifier who had dumped out second seed Garbine Mugurza.
Safarova prevailed 4-6 6-1 12-10 in an engaging encounter, her experience and tenacity eventually winning out.
Timea Bacsinszky beat Monica Niculescu 4-6 6-2 6-1 and will meet Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round.
Sloane Stephens edged a second-round battle with Mandy Minella 3-6 7-6 (8/6) 8-6 to line up a meeting with Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Sabine Lisicki slumped to a galling 7-6 (7/2) 6-1 defeat to Yaroslava Shvedova, who will now take on Safarova in the fourth round.
