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Pliskova shocks Kvitova in all-Czech clash

Los Angeles - Unseeded Kristyna Pliskova rallied from a dismal start to topple fellow lefthanded Czech Petra Kvitova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the WTA Charleston tournament on Wednesday. 

Pliskova blasted six aces and broke Kvitova's serve six times in the two-hour match. She won just 13 of 34 points on her serve in a one-sided first set that went to world No 10 Kvitova. 

"My serve was horrible in the first set, so I had to focus on my serve and the rest of the game was better as well," southpaw Pliskova said. 

Pliskova moves onto the third round where she will face No 16 seed Elena Vesnina, who eased past Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-1. 

Pliskova's win over the two-time Wimbledon champion is her second victory over a top 10 player this year, following a win over world number seven Jelena Ostapenko in China. 

Kvitova committed 44 unforced errors with most of them coming in the final two sets. She broke Pliskova's serve five times but made nine double faults overall. It is the first time she has lost to a Czech compatriot since 2012. 

"I'm really happy, it's my second top 10 win this year, but also it's against Petra," Pliskova said. "She's playing so well against Czech players, so I'm happy I broke her streak." 

After failing to hold serve even once in the opening set, Pliskova got to work in the second, winning four consecutive games to take the set. 

In the third she broke early to take a 2-0 lead then got another break to go up 5-1. Pliskova squandered six match points before finally finishing it off on the seventh one. 

In other matches, Naomi Osaka of Japan outlasted Germany's Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) and Latvian eighth seed Anastasija Sevastova needed three sets to beat Caroline Dolehide of the USA 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1.

Results on Wednesday in the WTA tournament in Charleston, South Carolina (x-denotes seed):

2nd rd

Alize Cornet (FRA x14) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-2, 6-3

Kiki Bertens (NED x12) bt Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) 6-4, 6-2

Fanny Stollr (HUN) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x6) 6-3, 6-4

Bernarda Pera (USA) bt Dayana Yastremska (UKR x4) 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 6-4

Sara Errani (ITA) bt Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU x15) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS x11) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3

Madison Keys (USA x7) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Julia Grges (GER x5) bt Kristie Ahn (USA) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1)

Naomi Osaka (JPN x10) bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3, 7-6 (10/8)

Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU x13) bt Claire Liu (USA) 6-4, 6-2

Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x8) bt Caroline Dolehide (USA) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x9) bt Tatjana Malek (GER) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Elena Vesnina (RUS x16) bt Taylor Townsend (USA) 6-4, 6-1

Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3

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