TENNIS
Kvitova brushes Brengle aside to set up Puig meeting
Petra Kvitova stormed through her opening match at the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday, beating American Madison Brengle 6-3, 6-3.
Confident start
Former champion Petra Kvitova sailed through her opening match at the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday, beating American Madison Brengle 6-3, 6-3 with a flurry of swashbuckling winners.
The 26-year-old Czech, a two-time winner at Wimbledon, had too much firepower for Brengle in a match played under a closed roof due to typhoon rains in Tokyo. Kvitova will next play Rio Olympic gold medal winner Monica Puig.
Cibulkov-Osaka in the next round
Meanwhile, sixth seed, Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova another Czech, Lucie Safarova, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 to set up a second-round match with fast-rising Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka.
“I've seen her play a few times" Cibulkova said of Osaka. “She has a powerful serve and it's always tough playing against these young players - they are fearless and have nothing to lose”.