Petra Kvitova’s return from maternity depart after a 17-month absence resulted in defeat as Britain’s Jodie Burrage battled again to win in three units on the ATX Open.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova, 34, was contesting her first WTA match since 2 October 2023, on the China Open in Beijing.
The Czech made a constructive begin and received the opening set however the 25-year-old Burrage outlasted her opponent to win 3-6 6-4 6-4.
Burrage, ranked 189 on this planet, will play Australian Ajla Tomljanovic within the second spherical.
Kvitova, who gave start to her son, Petr, final July, didn’t know whether or not she would return to tennis earlier than her break.
She has stated she was partly impressed to return after seeing fellow gamers equivalent to Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka and Belinda Bencic accomplish that after giving start.
Again on the court docket, Kvitova raced right into a four-game lead with an early double break of serve in Austin.
Burrage, who reached the second spherical on the Australian Open in January, threatened a fightback as she lowered the deficit to 5-3, just for Kvitova to interrupt once more and seal the opening set.
Former world quantity two Kvitova, who turns 35 in March, twice broke again as Burrage utilized stress within the second set, however the Englishwoman struck once more within the ninth sport earlier than holding serve to like to drive a decider.
Each gamers had been unable to grab break level alternatives in the beginning of the third set.
However the decisive second arrived when Burrage noticed off 4 break factors to carry for 4-4, earlier than breaking Kvitova within the following sport and serving out the competition.
High seed Jessica Pegula, the world quantity 4, begins her match afterward Tuesday towards Dutch opponent Arantxa Rus.
