No.1 Kerber sets up Kvitova showdown at Wuhan Open

World No.1 Angelique Kerber overcame a slow start to see off Kristina Mladenovic to reach the third round of the Wuhan Open tennis tournament here on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old German displayed all the qualities that have taken her to the pinnacle of the women’s game to complete a 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 victory over Mladenovic and set up a meeting with another Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova, who dismissed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-3, 6-1.

“Kiki was playing very well today, especially in the first set. I was trying to come back in the second,” Kerber said after the match. “The first match is always tough. But I’m happy to be back in China and to have won my first match here.” “I was trying to play more aggressive, more my tennis, moving a little bit better.” “It’s always tough against Petra. So, I will have to play better than today for sure. I will try my best to go out there to win the match and I will have to play one of my best tennis tomorrow against her,” added the newly-crowned US Open champion.