Kvitova wins battle of Wimbledon champions at Adelaide

ADELAIDE - Petra Kvitova won the battle of Wimbledon champions on Monday at Adelaide International II, outserving Elena Rybakina who has crashed early in two tournaments leading into next week's Australian Open.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova beat the current All England Club champion 6-3, 7-5 in round one, exacting a measure of revenge.

Russia's 23rd-ranked Rybakina won their first head-to-head meeting last year in Ostrava.

World number 16 Kvitova never faced a break point in 86 minutes, while breaking Rybakina at the tail end of each set to move safely through.

"I tried to play faster than Elena," said Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014.

"She played really great (in Ostrava), it was a good match and I know that she's serving really well.

"I was focusing on my serve and I was trying to wait for some chances to break her."