Emotions flood back for Kvitova as she reaches quarterfinals

Petra Kvitova stood wide-eyed and perfectly still, scarcely believing she was through to her first French Open quarterfinal in eight years after winning 6-2, 6-4 against Zhang Shuai of China on Monday.

When chair umpire climbed down and pointed to mark confirming her two-handed backhand h landed just in, she released her emotions. seventh-seeded Czech player looked up in air, n blew kisses and waved to small crowd gared on Court Philippe Chatrier, tournament's main stium.

"Yeah, I got a bit emotional last two points of my match," she said. “My memories, happy memories. When I me my comeback here in 2017, when I step on Philippe Chatrier, I couldn’t really imagine me to be in quarterfinal of this slam. Everything just came back to me.”

Three years ago, left-handed Kvitova me her comeback at Roland Garros after sustaining serious injuries to her left hand following a knife attack by a robber at her home in Czech Republic.

“When I’m talking, I’m getting emotional again. It’s been a long ride definitely. Everything came to my mind,” she said. “My whole family, people who I loved to help me through tough, tough time. I don’t kw, just everything came back.”

n re were some match-point nerves to deal with. At U.S. Open last month, at same st of competition, Kvitova wasted four match points in a loss to American Shelby Rogers.

“That match was really tough. Even I play great, I mean, I didn’t just make it,” she said. “It happen to me after such a long time that I didn’t win match from match point. Especially in a Grand Slam, right? It was really painful.” Kvitova's two Grand Slam titles were won on green grass of Wimbledon in 2011 and ‘14.

Success has so far eluded former second-ranked player on Roland Garros’ red clay. Her only semifinal in western Paris was in 2012, and since n she'd reached fourth round just once prior to this tournament, and that was five years ago.

“I think it’s been a miracle for me to make semifinal here," she said. "After eight years to be in quarterfinal again, it’s great. I’m really happy for that, that I’m still able to play on all surfaces.”

Kvitova h a first chance to close out match serving at 5-2, but Zhang broke and n held. “She served very well, played very aggressive," Kvitova said. “It’s great, it was a nice battle today.”

Her next opponent, Laura Siegemund, meanwhile, endured sub-standard snacks in a 7-5, 6-2 win against Paula Bosa.

As she was garing her things before leaving, a court-side microphone captured an exchange with an official. Siegemund explained, in crude terms, how unimpressed with what she'd been given to eat by her physio.

“I have to have a word with my physio," Siegemund said, emphasising her disappointment with an . Siegemund saw funny side when asked about it after match.

“re are cameras everywhere and you cant say anything without anybody ticing it. It’s fine,” she said, laughing. “I was trying to get some carbs in. I tried (energy) bar, couldn’t get it down really. So I asked my physio to bring me something else. I just wanted to get some carbs, some potato or rice, whatever.”

22-year-old German player h never previously been beyond second round at French Open and never beyond third round at any major tournament.

In remaining men's fourth-round play, top-ranked vak Djokovic was facing 15th-seeded Karen Khachav. Earlier, . 5-seeded Stefas Tsitsipas and . 13-seeded Andrey Rublev reached last eight at Roland Garros for first time. Tsitsipas won 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-2 against . 18-seeded Grigor Dimitrov and Rublev beat unseeded Marton Fucsovics 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Tsitsipas has some treatment for irritation to his eye at start of second set and saved two set points in tiebreaker.

“I feel irritation in my eye and it happened in my previous matches as well. It’s still a bit irritated, I think it’s red,” Tsitsipas said. “ tiebreak was very tense, tiebreak was where all money was. I showed lots of discipline.”

Rublev saved three set points serving at 5-4 down and 0-40 in fourth set, n won on his second match point when Fucsovics put a forehand into net.  22-year-old Rublev is a two-time U.S. Open quarterfinalist, but h never been beyond first round in Paris.

This story has t been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.