Kvitova, Wozniacki renew rivalry under the lights at US Open

NEW YORK: Old foes Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki will meet under the lights in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday (Aug 30), rekindling a long-dormant rivalry.

Denmark's Wozniacki retired in 2020 to raise a family and delighted fans as she announced her return to competitive tennis earlier this year, earning a wildcard to the year's final major.

She cruised through her opener to set up a showdown on Arthur Ashe Stadium with the 11th-seed Kvitova, whom she trails 8-6 in career head-to-head but has not faced since the beating her during the WTA Finals five years ago.

"I actually didn't know that I had the potential of playing her in the second round. I don't think she knew it either," said Wozniacki, a runner-up twice at Flushing Meadows.

"We've been around for a long time. We've played each other many times. I think at the end of the day we're just out there to do our best and compete."

The two fan favourites are no strangers to the spotlight, after Kvitova ended Wozniacki's 2016 Olympic campaign in the second round and beat her in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2010.

"I know exactly what I need to do. I know where my game needs to be at to beat Petra. There's definitely a calmness to knowing that," said Wozniacki.

Ninth seed Taylor Fritz and 10th seed Frances Tiafoe represent the United States' best hope of ending a 20-year American men's Grand Slam drought and are another highlight to the evening program in New York.

Fritz closes out the action on Louis Armstrong Stadium against unseeded Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas while Tiafoe kicks off the evening program on Arthur Ashe Stadium against 58th-ranked Austrian Sebastian Ofner.

"There is always going to be a lot of pressure, just as an American playing the US