The contrasts were clear as Petra Kvitova faced Natalija Stevanovic in the third round of The Championships.

While No.9 seed Kvitova is a two-time ladies’ champion making her 15th main draw appearance at Wimbledon, the 225th-ranked Stevanovic arrived in her first Grand Slam through Qualifying.

But it was a contrast of a different type that almost told the story as Kvitova battled past the inspired Serb, and a potentially distracting rain delay, in a far tighter contest than the 6-3, 7-5 scoreline suggests.

While the Czech brought the power that helped her 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon triumphs, her 40 winners were undermined by 36 unforced errors. Stevanovic, by contrast, was almost devastatingly efficient, registering only seven unforced errors for the match.

Stevanovic had finally achieved a breakthrough as a Grand Slam qualifier, after 10 unsuccessful campaigns. The 28-year-old capitalised superbly with a first round upset of Karolina Pliskova, a former world No.1 and the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up.

She subsequently battled for two hours 43 minutes to overcome Tamara Korpatsch – similarly inspired, as a lucky loser – in the second round.

Perhaps knowing the threat this presented in her first career meeting with Stevanovic, Kvitova at times pushed too hard. Two double faults cost her as she surrendered the first break of serve in the third game. The recovery was immediate but a determined Stevanovic always threatened, saving three set points in the eighth game before Kvitova served out the 38-minute first set.

With clouds gathering, the hard-hitting Kvitova was keen to assert her dominance, but Stevanovic initially found a way back from every lead her experienced opponent established. The players scored two breaks each, the Serb leading 5-4 when play was suspended due to rain.

Kvitova at last seemed set for some clean attacking tennis on resumption, seizing two straight games without the loss of a point. There were three more break points to defend before the determined Stevanovic pushed a backhand long on Kvitova’s fourth match point.

“It was a big [battle], that's for sure,” Kvitova said after her victory in one hour 50 minutes. “She wasn't there just showing up for the third round. She really played well in quallies, winning two rounds here (and) beating a seeded player as well. So I knew it would be tough – and it was.”

It brought an eighth consecutive win for Kvitova, who is relishing the momentum she’s established on her favourite surface. She claimed a sixth grass-court trophy in Berlin last month, her 31st career title.

The 33-year-old now faces Ons Jabeur or Bianca Andreescu in the fourth round. Advancing to that stage of The Championships for the first time since 2019, Kvitova knows exactly what’s required next.

“I love playing on grass, for sure," she smiled. "When my serve is working, I love it even more, which I don't think was the case today - but somehow I found a way, which I am very happy with.”

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