A heavily-strapped right thigh and a determined opponent on a damp, chilly and windy centre court combined to end two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova’s interest in the Aegon Classic Birmingham.
The Czech world No.11 discovered for the second time this year that up-and-coming teenager Jelena Ostapenko can be a tricky customer.
Ostapenko, 2014 Wimbledon junior champion, beat Kvitova in Doha in three sets and did the same to the fifth seed at Edgbaston Priory Club on Thursday.
“I wasn’t moving well, it [the leg] was bothering me a lot today. It’s probably the grass, the beginning is always difficult for the body, for the butt and for the hamstrings. I think that was the case.
“I played my first match really well against Lucie (Safarova) and I’m said that I didn’t really show it today again. I don’t know that I did anything wrong. She was just really going forward.”
Ostapenko, 19, is making her Birmingham debut this week and faces American seventh seed Madison Keys in the quarter-finals following her 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Kvitova.
The Latvian world No.38 served notice that she has the game for grass at Wimbledon in 2015 when she played in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time, besting ninth seed Carla Suarez Navarro, and she certainly does not lack self-confidence.
“Since juniors I think I did well on grass,” Ostapenko said. “It's first time here, but I really like it. I think grass is my favourite surface, so I'm looking forward to two more tournaments. I think I can do good on grass.
“I have a good serve and good backhand and forehand, so for grass, I think it's good. I’m happy to win today as she (Kvitova) is one of the most dangerous opponents because she twice won Wimbledon.”
Ostapenko demonstrated a willingness to chase down and fight back while Kvitova moved about the court much more gingerly and was unable to take advantage of an early break in the deciding set.
“When she lost her serve, I think she was more dangerous afterwards.”
Kvitova said: “She was playing more aggressive than she was before and I was just reacting.”
Ostapenko and Keys’s second-round wins were confirmed before the first round was completed. Caroline Wozniacki, who missed the whole of the clay court season with a right ankle injury, lost 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 to Yanina Wickmayer at the first hurdle.
The former world No.1, who will be unseeded at Wimbledon, admitted:
“There were some positive things to take with me from today and some not-so-good things. But at the end of the day, I just need to keep working and try to play sets with the other girls. Just get into that rhythm.
“The first set was nothing, to be honest. It was kind of, you went on and off and on and off and on and off. It was slippery. You couldn't really do what you wanted to do out there.
“I think I was just a little bit cautious as well, being out with a ankle injury for three months almost.
"Then coming back, you don't want to hurt it again. I think it's a little bit mentally you're scared because I slipped once.”
Keys was in no mood to hang around, taking just 57 minutes to see off Austrian qualifier Tamira Paszek 6-1, 6-3 and set up the clash with Ostapenko.
“I feel like I'm up against the rain this week,” Keys admitted. “I’m really happy that we were able to get on the court today.
“Once I was out there, I was definitely really focused on getting on, playing as efficiently as possible, and hopefully finishing before the rain starts again.”
Apparently the question that Keys is asked more often than any other is whether she is related to singer Alicia Keys.
I used to lie and say she was my aunt!
She has a wonderful reply.
“I used to play the piano. I'm terrible now,” she laughed. “I used to lie to tell people and say she was my aunt (laughing). Yeah, she's coming for Christmas. And then eventually I'd have to give it up and say, ‘No, I've never met her, and I'm not related to her’.”
Qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2010, also dodged the showers to record a 6-3, 6-3 second round win against Irina-Camelia Begu.
Back to the first round. British No 1 Johanna Konta, initially scheduled for two singles and one doubles match on Thursday, beat Misaki Doi 7-6, 6-1 but a huge thunderstorm put paid to her second-round meeting with Wickmayer while her doubles was moved indoors.
Konta said: “All first rounds can be tricky and I had a very tough opponent today. I was happy with the way I played in the important moments and I'm definitely building on that in the second match.
“I think became a little more consistent; I was definitely spraying quite a few errors in the first set but that's also adapting to the court and the fact that it hasn't been the easiest conditions, waiting around to play."
