Tennis: Kvitova finds form at French Open

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova powered into the last 16 at the French Open on Saturday, finally finding her form after earlier struggles at Roland Garros.

The fourth seed from the Czech Republic outplayed Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2 in just 58 minutes, taking the last five games at a canter.

That was in stark contrast to her first two rounds that saw her grind out six sets and spend just four minutes short of five hours on the court.

“I finally played what I wanted and I am happy to have won in two sets today,” she said.

Next up for Kvitova, who also won Wimbledon in 2011, but who has only managed a single semi-final in Paris in 2012, will be a fourth round tie against either Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland or Madison Keys of the United States.

Saturday’s action at Roland Garros, completing the last 16 lineup for the women, sees four American players in action led by top seed and two-time winner Serena Williams.

The bottom half of the draw completed third round matches on Friday giving an all-European lineup headed by second seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova of Russia.

Williams was scheduled last on the Court Philippe Chatrier, going up against back-to-form Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

The two have played each other 18 times with Williams well ahead at 15-3, but the 19-time Grand Slam winner looked out of sorts in the second round, needing three tough sets to see off the challenge of unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam.

Other Americans on the programme were fit-again Sloane Stephens playing Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria and 85th ranked Irina Falconi up against Germany’s Julia Goerges.