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KVITOVA Shuns Ranking Talk to Focus on Titles Back To Main

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Kvitova demolished Tsvetana Pironkova on Monday as the top-seeded Czech Republic defeated Bulgaria 2-1 to drive home their position as favourites for the Hopman Cup title.

Kvitova was a convincing 6-4, 6-2 winner over Pironkova before team mate Tomas Berdych trumped Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7(9-11), 6-3. Bulgaria won the mixed doubles 2-6, 6-3 (11-9) to save face in the Group A clash.

After a breakthrough year in which she won Wimbledon and the WTA Championships, surged from 34th to second in the world and led the Czech Republic to victory in the Fed Cup, Kvitova trails Denmark’s Wozniacki by a mere 115 points in the rankings.

She could leapfrog Wozniacki by the end of the month if she fares better at the Sydney International and Australian Open tournaments.

Should Kvitova achieve that goal, she would become the Czech Republic’s first world number one since the reign of her idol Martina Navratilova ended in 1987.

Kvitova and Wozniacki will clash at the Hopman Cup on Friday in what could set the tone for the Australian summer.

Wozniacki leads their head-to-head 3-2 but Kvitova won their two most important meetings last year, at Wimbledon and the WTA Championships at Istanbul. Quietly spoken and modest, Kvitova said constant talk about her rivalry with Wozniacki was beginning to wear thin.

“Sometimes it’s crazy that everywhere you go, you get the same questions being asked,” Kvitova told reporters. “I know that for you (the media) it’s important to know about it but for me, I just want to play and try to have fun on court,” she added.