Kvitova's Wimbledon preparations take a hit

Petra Kvitova’s preparations for the defence of her Wimbledon title suffered a setback when she was beaten by Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova in the first round of the Eastbourne International on Tuesday.

The number two seed, who beat Maria Sharapova in the final of last year’s Wimbledon, lt 7-5, 6-4 to Makarova who is ranked 48th in the world.

Kvitova had looked in good shape heading into the grasscourt season, having lost in the semifinals of the French Open to eventual champion Sharapova. 

Makarova is joined in the second round by number five seed Angelique Kerber of Germany who beat Russia’s Elena Vesnina 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Wimbledon kicks off at the Flushing Meadows on Monday.

First round results (prefix denotes seeding): Men’s singles: 6-Andy Roddick (US) bt Sam Querrey (US) 5-2 (retd); 7-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Ger) bt Go Soeda (Jpn) 6-4, 7-5; Lu Yen-Hsun (Tai) bt 5-Julien Benneteau (Fra) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4); Steve Darcis (Bel) bt Matthew Ebden (Aus) 6-2, 6-4; Denis Istomin (Uzb) bt Michael Llodra (Fra) 6-4, 6-3. Women’s singles: 9-Petra Cetkovska (Cze) bt Andrea Hlavackova (Cze) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; Christina McHale (US) bt 3-Caroline Wozniacki (Den) 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4; 4-Marion Bartoli (Fra) bt Sorana Cirstea (Rom) 6-2, 6-2; Laura Robson (Gbr) bt Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Esp) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Tsvetana Pironkova (Bul) bt 1-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) 6-2, 6-4; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Rus) bt Hsieh Su-Wei (Tai) 6-2, 3-0 (retd); Klara Zakopalova (Cze) bt Zheng Jie (Chn) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3; 5-Angelique Kerber (Ger) bt Elena Vesnina (Rus) 3-6, 6-0, 7-5; Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) bt 2-Petra Kvitova (Cze) 7-5, 6-4.